Dirty Little Secret
by backlash symphony
Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this. OrochiSakura
1. Scars

Story Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Scars

Author: backlash symphony

Music: "Dirty Little Secret" by The All American Rejects

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Dirty Little Secret" by The All American Rejects and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru.

Extra: I'm saying Sasuke left at age 16, and this written piece covers the deal being made. Sakura is 16 and a minor (in American terms, but in Japan that's actually legal) when the deal is made. The next chapter will fall two years after this chapter, just so we're clear on that fact. Also, the spellings of jonin and gennin we retrieved from wikipedia.

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

_Flashback_

…

…

…

The sun was just setting, the sky decorated with an array of bright fiery colors that seemed to represent one of the many emotions lost to the rose haired kunoichi. A lovely breeze blew through the air, swirling around leaves and escorting them from the ground, into the air, and to a new place on the sidewalks and benches.

From Sakura's position in that specific spot, sitting in the same position he sat in, knees upright, brought towards her chest, elbows resting stiffly, hands clasped just in front of her mouth, the one set at a dead line, leaning towards a frown, she could see the sky perfectly.

She hated it.

Just like he did, but for different reasons, but still, the two of them had something in common. They hated the sunset, the sky in general.

Why?

He hated everything. Simple.

But why did Sakura hate it?

It reminded her of what she'd lost when he left, what she'd never get back until he did. It reflected what was once in her, the colors representing emotions she'd given him, emotions that he never reciprocated. If anything, she'd absorbed what emotions fit him so well he could have them but no amount of spying, or obsessing or pining for his attention, could reveal to her prying eyes.

It was something planned out entirely by fate. She had believed once that love would always set everything right, that love would always win. It had when they were gennin and had passed Kakashi's test, the one that seemed impossible to beat at first. How were they supposed to beat a jonin when they were merely gennin? Individually, nonetheless…

With the exception of him, of course. It was no surprise he managed to touch one of those stupid bells.

Or when they were fighting Haku on the bridge? Haku had landed the final blows and he had died, or so everyone thought. As Sakura lay sobbing over the supposed dead body of her love, she began to think love, in fact, didn't rule everything. That thought died, however, when he "came back to life" and immediately her heart scolded her brain for thinking he would actually die.

Sasuke Uchiha, dead? Impossible.

Damn Haku should've gone for the kill. It would've meant Sakura wouldn't have had to put up with everything going on at the moment.

The same thought raced back into her mind, only this time ten times stronger, when she didn't become a chunin with Naruto and him. She'd have to wait such a long time, at least in her mind, for the next exam, by which time he and Naruto would already be halfway through their training for the jonin exam, and then ANBU after.

She'd never catch up, especially when she already had enough trouble _trying_ to become a chunin.

It figured he'd advance. He had to. There was no stopping him, just like that night. Once the idiot set his mind to it, which he had since he was young, there was absolutely no stopping him.

What Orochimaru wanted with him, however…

Sakura closed her eyes and shuddered at the thought. That was exactly the reason she didn't want to believe Orochimaru's offer to him. What could he want with him? She didn't even know the sannin himself, or much about him, for that matter, other than his originating from Konoha and his being on a shinobi team with her mentor, Tsunade, and Naruto's sensei, Jiraiya, but she could tell he wasn't the type of person to just take someone under his wing and teach them advanced and forbidden jutsus for nothing.

Power came with a price and Sakura desperately wanted to know that price. If it meant the loss of her Sa-

_Sakura whipped through the bushes, speeding up and sprinting as fast as she could. Sasuke's life was on the line!_

'_No! He can't have my Sasuke! I won't let'im!'_

Sakura let her passive face fall into her hands, jade eyes still closed. She was so depressed, so miserable, so heartbroken. Even Ino knew not to talk about him, on purpose, at least, for fear of sending her pink haired friend into a fit of tears.

She'd cried on the bench that night, over a week ago, almost two tomorrow. She'd cried as she curled up on the hard bench, the one that only filled her shivering body with more cold. She'd wept for days, alone, trying not to in front of others. She had as many tear reserves as she did chakra reserves.

Sakura felt as if her heart was cut out of her chest, thrown on the floor, stomped on, spit on, lit aflame by that annoying fire jutsu of his, then upon the ashes he'd taken a piss just to watch her face and revel in the pain and —hoping— disgust he'd made her feel.

He was right for one thing. She was in so much pain. Her heart stopped, she would never be happy again. She didn't even think him coming back would make her happy again. What he'd done had hurt her more than anyone could ever hope to know, could ever dream or imagine.

When he left, so did the Sakura everyone knew. The Sakura now was merely a shell of negative emotions and she might've already committed suicide had she not had the smallest inkling of hope that he might return to them. And at this moment, hope was all she had to hang on to.

She exhaled slowly, drawing it out as she placed her small hands behind her, leaning back and allowing her head to loll back as well. The shorter length of her rose colored hair blew around her glaring jade orbs.

"Goddamn sunset…stupid Itachi, stupid Sasuke, and stupid Orochimaru…" Sakura breathed.

"Now, now, that's no way to talk about a sannin."

Sakura gasped and shot up from the hard pavement, hand moving to her kunai pouch to retrieve a weapon, only to find her pouch gone.

"What the—?"

"Looking for this?" the same voice called out from behind her.

Sakura spun around and practically choked on her next words. There, standing in black pants and a semi-loose dark blue t-shirt holding her pouch in one hand and leaning against the other on the column off to the side, was none other than—

"O-Orochimaru!"

He chuckled darkly at her outburst, tossing the pouch over the railing and watching Sakura's eyes follow them. He began to move forward and she moved to the side.

"So you do remember me? Wonderful. That makes this all the easier for me."

"How do you expect me to forget you! It's your fault Sasuke is gone! Your fault he's a missing-nin!" Sakura shouted, watching Orochimaru's movements and forming a strategy in her mind.

He followed her like he was the predator and she was his prey, which, in a sense, was completely true. While she moved up the steps on the right, he was descending them on the left.

"I have a proposition for you, little kunoichi," he stated, standing still by the railing.

Sakura shifted so she was inches in front of the column.

"Really?" she spat. "It wouldn't have anything to do with Sasuke would it?"

When she said it she meant it as an insult. She never expected him to say otherwise.

"Actually, it has to do with you."

"…What?"

"Yes. You. You've managed to catch my attention. You're a very…powerful girl. Well, you have the potential, anyway. You're a very beautiful young lady and it surprises me that Sasuke didn't even give you a kiss before he left. What a terrible boyfriend he is, leaving you like that…"

"Sasuke is **not** my boyfriend and don't you dare tell me I'm beautiful! It's disgusting!" she shouted.

Orochimaru laughed and took a step forward before disappearing altogether. Sakura immediately began scanning around to find a trace of chakra, heart beating faster when she came up with nothing.

"Where the hell did he go!" she whispered in a frustrated tone.

"Who? Me?" His voice spoke in her ear.

Before she could so much as move to find him, she found herself pinned to the column, arms held above her head by her wrists. Her body slid up the column so she could see Orochimaru's grinning face in front of her while she struggled to be released. Her jade orbs were filled with loathing and anger towards the man pinning her.

She realized her legs were free and considered using them to kick Orochimaru into letting her go, but he stepped between her legs, wrapping long fingers around her thigh and pulling her hips forward just so he could use his own to force them back into the cement.

Her eyes widened as she looked down at their positioning.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" she hissed, squirming up, or at least attempting to.

"Ah, ah, listen first and ask questions later, cherry blossom," Orochimaru smirked.

"**Don't** call me that!" Sakura bellowed.

Orochimaru raised a brow and, although he knew full well what her reply would be, he asked anyway.

"So what would you prefer I call you?"

"I would _prefer _you get your filthy hands off of my body and to hike your disgusting self back to Sound where you can die in a fire so Sasuke can come back home!" she growled.

Orochimaru merely laughed again.

"But that comes to the point of you, darling Sakura."

She glared at him.

"You knew my name the whole damn time!"

Her struggles renewed when he nodded. Oh, how she wanted to slap the damn smug look off his stupid snakelike face! But she suddenly realized what he'd said.

"Me?"

"You've got such hidden power, such potential, more potential than Sasuke, actually. You're of the most intelligent shinobi in Konoha," he explained.

"So what you're saying is you want to woo me with your compliments, think I'll forgive you, and then come to you because of them?" Sakura spat. "That's disgusting! Taking Sasuke away from me when I know he'll come-"

Realization dawned on Sakura and her eyes widened. Orochimaru could very well leave her at this moment and kill Sasuke if he wanted to. The fear she held for Sasuke shone through the hatred and anger in her eyes, directly into Orochimaru's golden ones and he merely smirked.

"Exactly, kunoichi. I can kill your precious Sasuke, or I can keep him with me for however long I feel," Orochimaru said slowly before pressing his head closer to her ear.

"And, my dear Sakura, because of the cursed seal, I'll be able to make him do anything I tell him to…"

Orochimaru pulled back to see her desperate look. He wanted to start laughing but it would simply ruin the moment. He didn't want to have to instigate her hatred. He wanted her to show it without his help.

"No…NO! Y-you wouldn't do that! You'd have never taken him if you were going to…to do any…! Not Sasuke! When he comes back it'll be me and him!"

Orochimaru sighed and shook his head.

"I can make sure he's home with you by the time you're 19. All you have to do is make me a promise," he baited, waiting for her to bite, and bite she did.

"That's three years from now!"

"I can always make it longer…"

"What promise am I to be making?"

"You've got so much fire. Did I mention that in qualities of yours I find interesting?" he added, watching her impatience.

"Damnit, Orochimaru, tell me what I have to do to get him back!"

"When you turn 18, you're to spend the night with me. It's as simple as that."

Sakura simply stared at him, taking what he'd just said in. He had told her she was to spend her 18th birthday evening with him. Nighttime…spending it with him.

"You want _me_ to **sleep** with you!" she burst out. "Quit joking around and tell me what I have to do!"

Oh, if he was joking, she was _so_ going to kill him…once he let her go…and once she got some of her weapons back…But that look of his was telling her the opposite. His eyebrow curved and his face took on a look of complete maliciousness.

"Oh no, you c-can't be…but! You've got to be kidding me! I can't do that to Sasuke!" she pleaded.

"You're saving yourself for him, but how do you know he'll save himself for you?" he countered.

"I don't care! I'm all for him! When he comes home he'll need someone who'll help him back on his feet since no one in the village will! I'm special to him!" she responded.

"So you're willing to die a virgin and never be kissed by him, then?" he contradicted.

"I never— who said I've never kissed someone before!" she argued.

"I only said you'll never get kissed by Sasuke if he's dead. So you've never been kissed before anyway? You certainly _are_ willing to wait for him."

"Of course I am! I love him! I'll wait for him for as long as I need to and I'm telling you **not** to interfere!"

But deep inside Sakura knew she had nothing to support her words. How could he just leave her like that and not even tell her he'd think about her? He knew she'd wait for him, the least he could do is say he'd come back for her!

She didn't realize what was happening until she found herself sitting on the ground with her back still to the pole, legs spread wide around Orochimaru who was kneeling between them. She immediately tried closing her legs but the hand on her thigh wouldn't let her move. She also noticed that even though she wanted to move, her body refused to act.

"What did you do to me!" she cried, suddenly feeling the ability to talk slow down.

"Don't worry about it. I decided you needed a little…_persuasion_…to help you make a decision. I apologize if you can't move and if you can't really say that much, don't stress it out. Just for now, _feel_…"

Sakura's mouth opened but she couldn't force any words out. She could only do what he said. She could only feel, fall victim to his touch.

His long pale fingers inched slowly up her toned thigh, spread evenly so that his thumb rested on the bottom of her thigh and the other four appendages relaxed on her inner thigh. The smooth tan skin was like silk under his icy fingertips. He took pleasure in the small jumps her skin made as he moved further up her leg.

Orochimaru especially enjoyed how her chest moved faster in time with her increased breaths, how if he leaned forward just a bit he could feel her pressed right against him, the heat from her small body radiating, only to be absorbed by his body. She wasn't fully developed, no, but that wouldn't stop her from having soft breasts to press against his hard chest.

His middle finger reached the hem of her blue shorts, playing lightly with it by sliding just the tip of his finger under the material and moving it side to side. He felt her body tense, heard her breathing hitch, a small sound coming from the back of her throat.

Sakura's eyes slid shut, either from fear or from want, he wasn't sure.

That image to Orochimaru was simply too tempting and he moved his body closer to her, so close that his wish to feel her soft chest press against his was granted, so close he could feel her breathy pants on his ear. He decided he needed an answer and he needed one at that moment.

"Sakura…"

She hated how her name rolled off his tongue.

'That tongue that could perform such blissfully sinful acts to your body…' Inner Sakura reminded her.

'Since when are you against Sasuke!'

"Sakura…make a choice…two years from now, promise yourself to me…and I'll make sure Sasuke learns everything in a shorter amount of time…he'll be back by the time you're 19…"

The deal sounded so wonderful at this point, so amazing. Sasuke would be back, but what about Itachi?

"Wh-what about…Itachi? That's the only reason he went…to you anyway…" she breathed, desperate now to get him off of her.

Orochimaru gave a short laugh in her ear, hand on her thigh squeezing, emitting a gasp from the konoichi he was against, before releasing the grip slightly.

"He'll be dead, cherry blossom, gone forever, and you can have your Sasuke back…just say yes…"

Sakura's heart fluttered. Sasuke would be back! For good, with Itachi gone!

'Dammnit, say yes already!' Inner Sakura piped up.

Sakura's lips formed the 'y' of yes but a sudden pain in her chest stopped her. A new question popped up in her mind. What about the cursed seal? Didn't that eventually leave Sasuke nothing more than a puppet to Orochimaru when he was done with him?

If that was the case, more power would only increase the level of the curse, right? By the time three years was up, she'd be getting back a puppet…no…

Tears welled up in her green eyes and her hands clenched into fists in Orochimaru's grip above her head, nails biting into her palms. She softly shook her head to say no but the gesture went unnoticed by the sannin for he was too busy.

His tongue found her neck to be quite…enjoyable. Quick flicks from his tongue caused Sakura's mind to stop. The wetness slid over the crook of her neck and up along her jaw. He nibbled a trail from her chin to her earlobe where he scraped it with his teeth.

"Come on, Sakura…don't let Sasuke down…"

At this, Sakura's eyes flew open and she could suddenly regain the feeling in her limbs. She felt the dead weight being lifted and the blood pumping through her arms and legs. Experimentally she moved the big toe on her left foot and it moved.

However, Orochimaru felt the muscle in her leg work to move her toe and reinforced his grip on her wrists, holding her leg roughly against his side. He didn't want to take any chances and he knew he needed a response from her before she used that other leg of hers to kick him.

"Give me an answer, Sakura," he pressed.

Sakura began to struggle against him, hoping she could make him loosen his hold on her body. She thrashed in his arms, unintentionally forcing her to press against his waist, the hand holding her leg sliding down to be dangerously close to the apex of her thighs.

Her back arched her forward into him and she turned her head to yell in his ear, "Let me go!"

Her eyes were wide still, staring right at his own. Her body fought to be released until she heard Orochimaru grunt at her lifted hips. She felt something warm pressed against her lower abdomen and she stilled immediately.

A deep red covered her cheeks when Orochimaru's eyes slid shut and he groaned almost inaudibly.

"Please," she whispered, fear in her voice. "Please, let me go."

Orochimaru's hand lifted off of her thigh and his other hand gently let go of her wrists. Sakura swallowed when his eyes opened to stare at her. The tip of her pink tongue slid out to wet her dry lips. The action was enough for Orochimaru who noticed it and looked down.

The expression that crossed his face left Sakura contemplating and confused. She wasted no time pushing Orochimaru away from her and leaping off to the side. Before she could even say a word or call for help, Orochimaru's hand wrapped around her ankle and tugged.

Sakura fell onto the stairs. Scraping her exposed skin made her pause before she kicked out her other leg to try and hit the older man in the face. She didn't feel her foot connect, but rather felt another hand surround her ankle and tug her back.

"No!" She screamed. "Let me go!"

She felt Orochimaru's presence behind her, his heat slithering through her clothes and his breaths puffing the back of her hair. Sakura swiftly shot out an elbow and caught him in the side. He did not fall over, however, which only served to scare Sakura more.

"Stop moving or I'll kill Sasuke," she heard Orochimaru hiss into her ear.

Sakura continued to fight for only a few seconds more before she felt her body's energy drain suddenly. Tears welled in her eyes.

'No! Don't cry in front of him! Don't!' She thought to herself.

She suddenly found herself flipped onto her back. Her head slammed against the stone steps behind her and she cried out in pain. Blinking away tears, she felt Orochimaru settle his hand on the left side of her face, thumb brushing over her bottom lip.

"Please!" She pleaded.

Sakura looked so damn innocent yet so tempting, staring up at him with big green eyes. If she was only 18 then he wouldn't have to worry about his plans being ruined, but for the moment she was only 16 and he couldn't have that, no matter how tempting the girl was.

He smirked.

'Oh my, and just when I thought this was going to be easy,' Orochimaru thought.

"Two years, Sakura. I will see you then."

Orochimaru easily removed himself from Sakura's body and turned his back on her, preparing the hand symbols that would allow him to escape from the village.

"Orochimaru?" she called out, stopping him.

"Yes?" he responded.

"You took Sasuke away from me and you've laid claim to everything that belonged to Sasuke anyway," she said firmly.

"Really?" Orochimaru put his hands down. "You know what I've realized, kunoichi? I've realized that you love Sasuke so much that you're willing to give up everything for him, to do what you're doing, what you've done, what you will be doing, yet the two of you aren't even in any kind of a relationship nor does he show the slightest bit of remorse for hurting you like he has."

Sakura didn't answer but Orochimaru could practically smell the tears she was crying. She knew he was right or she honestly didn't understand Sasuke was incapable of loving. She was silent and he didn't need to turn to see her body shaking to keep her anger in, her hurt in. He could feel her need to be comforted but knew it wasn't a part of his plans to comfort her.

"He does love me," she started, "but he simply can't show it until he's killed his brother." Without another word, Orochimaru disappeared. Sakura got up, went home, took a long hot bath and went straight to sleep, ignoring her stomach's growl for food and the events of the day.

After all, she was on a diet.

…

"Kabuto, find Sasuke and ask him what he thinks about a kunoichi named Haruno Sakura," Orochimaru said quietly, yet firmly.

A silent nod and a bow of silver-gray hair lead to the scuffling of feet as they moved through the darkness to the door, a creaking of rusty hinges the last sound before Orochimaru was completely enshrouded in silence.

He tapped his fingers together in front of his face, half lounging in a straight-backed chair, sadistic grin on his pale features. He knew, of course, what Sasuke felt for the girl and he intended to use everything he planned against him.

He would use Sakura, take advantage of her weakness, her pathetic love of Sasuke, and eventually lead her into such a state of confusion, she'd betray everything she loved even more than she already was.

Orochimaru was more than double her senior. He was a missing-nin. He was an ex-Akatsuki member. He was the trickiest snake to ever exist and used whatever he had to fulfill his other dream.

Konoha would fall and he had a lovely little naïve kunoichi named Haruno Sakura to thank for it.

…

…

…

2/26/12: Okay, so I've gone back and edited this chapter. Enjoy and don't forget to review!


	2. Love Me, Hate Me

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Love Me, Hate Me

Author: backlash symphony

Music: "In The Shadows" by The Rasmus

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "In The Shadows" by The Rasmus and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru.

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT!

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

MerodiPansa

SexySaiyanSakura

Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi

Monkeyluv4646

Marsgoddess1

…

…

…

"God, being 18 is amazing!" Sakura laughed as she plopped down on heavily on the semi-soft cushion of the wooden bar stool.

She was perspiring lightly, a sheen layer glossing her hot skin. Her reddened chest heaved with the need to fill her lungs with oxygen. She had been dancing for the last forty minutes and she absolutely had to stop before she passed out.

Sakura had danced and pushed her limits all thanks to Ino who had been busy grinding against half the males on the dance floor. She held a new respect for her friend and her stamina. A shame she couldn't put it to more useful things, however.

Ino's platinum hair was pulled over her left shoulder, leaving her right shoulder bare due to the strapless coral blue shirt she wore. It clung tightly to her chest and flared out at the bottom. The end drifted up to allow everyone a view of her tan muscled stomach. A jean mini skirt hung low on her hips, leaving almost nothing to imagine as her long legs were displayed.

Mascara was overused in order to make it look like Ino had black eyelashes to begin with, plus the additional mascara one would wear anyway. Her eyeliner was a light blue and her eye shadow was the same light blue as the liner with a spread of sparkles. Her lips were covered with a clear lipgloss that shimmered under the multicolored lights.

Ino had also picked out Sakura's outfit and Sakura was still fuming over it. She didn't enjoy showing off so much skin. She did look hot, yes, but she didn't want to be noticed for her body. It was too shallow in her opinion to be wanted strictly for her body. Her skill was more important to her.

She remembered she and Ino had spent about three hours in various clothing, jewelry, and makeup stores. She inwardly groaned as the memories returned. Ino had been adamant in getting Sakura something sexy to wear, claiming she was 18 therefore she needed to attract men so she could get laid.

She explained in extreme detail the wonders of sex multiple times to her pink haired friend, but it never really bugged Sakura as much as it did when they were shopping. She didn't really even know why, but it made her feel sick to her stomach to think about having sex just for the sake of an introduction to adulthood.

Sakura had tried on every article of clothing Ino had produced from the never-ending racks of outfits. She wore everything from semi see-through shirts to mini mini-skirts, obnoxiously tall high heels to horrifyingly bright makeup, and so much jewelry she couldn't describe it all if her life depended on it.

Ino had gotten frustrated after the first hour of shopping with Sakura, exclaiming that she had no taste and she was doing her a favor, and that she needed to learn how to live a little. That last bit was what forced Sakura to be a little more flexible.

They hit the clothing store first and Sakura left with a bag of red, gold, and black clothes. The jewelry store provided a few beautiful yet simple pieces to assist Sakura's look. Their final stop was the makeup store, Ino insisting she actually buy some of her own makeup rather than use hers because the colors that Ino used didn't look good on Sakura.

Now, Sakura's final appearance was dazzling. A skintight sunset red halter was her top, but only half of it was that color. The sunset color spread from the left half of the tie behind her neck, down across her left breast, and finished on the right bottom portion. A darker red, like a ripened strawberry red, began on the right half of the tie behind her neck, went across her right breast, and ended on the left bottom part.

All of her back, except for the small bit of cloth that held the bottom of the shirt attached to her, was shown, and just like Ino, the shirt didn't cover all of her stomach. The skirt she wore, also like Ino's, hung somewhat low on her hips, was an onyx color and came to rest at mid-thigh. Two gold chains were connected on the left of the skirt from front to back.

As far as jewelry went, another gold chain, this one with thinner links, formed a necklace around her neck, an extra five inches hanging directly down her back. A handmade red, black, and pink bracelet was clipped around one wrist, a few jingling gold circles on her other wrist.

Sakura's hair was put up in a complicated bun of twists and curls, a few stubborn pieces of hair framing her face.

As for Sakura's makeup, mascara and black eyeliner were thick around her eyes and made her emerald orbs seem vibrant and pulsing with happiness. A charcoal colored eye shadow was used with a glitter, just like Ino. Her lips had a rose-colored lip gloss on them. The rest of her body, whatever wasn't covered by cloth or jewelry, had absorbed a body lotion that had sparkles in it. The glitter caught the lights from above and her entire figure looked alluring.

The only thing Ino didn't like about Sakura's outfit was that she'd bought simple black sandals rather than high heels. It irked her and the fact that Ino didn't stop annoying Sakura about them annoyed Sakura.

Ino hit her arm as she took her seat beside her friend, leaning back to rest against the bar behind her.

"Aren't I the best at this birthday stuff?" she started, receiving a nod from Sakura. "Where would you be without me?" she teased, a glass filled with an amber liquid suddenly appearing in her manicured grip.

A quick wink from Ino towards a man at the other end of the bar explained it all to Sakura who merely sighed, shook her head, and brought her wrist up to her gaze as Ino and the man raised their glasses to their lips. Sakura practically passed out when she aw what time it was. She slid off of the stool and swore under her breath. She turned to face Ino.

"Thanks so much for everything but I have to work tomorrow and it's almost midnight!" she explained, already heading towards the door.

Ino glared at her pink haired friend, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Tsunade will understand if you say you got smashed. Heh, in fact, I think she might even be proud of you!" the blonde joked, smiling brightly.

Sakura turned around, reciprocating with a glare.

"Watch it Ino. That's my sensei and our Hokage you're disrespecting," Sakura warned.

Ino rolled her eyes and waved her hand at Sakura as if dismissing her.

"Alright, go home. Jeez, you work too much. I say you should just switch jobs…"

Sakura and Ino smiled at each other before Sakura turned and headed for the exit, Ino returning to her sickening flirting with shinobi she didn't know. Sakura maneuvered through the scattered tables and drunken men and women, some passed out, others having the ability to hold their liquor better and continuing to guzzle glass after glass of their choice alcohol.

Sakura grimaced.

'If they don't die in battle they'll be dying from liver failure…'

Her mind displayed an image of each of the two scenarios, much to her chagrin.

She was about ten feet from the exit and she felt relief wash over her. It's not as if she didn't appreciate Ino's work, but she just couldn't stay up when she knew she had an important job to do in the morning. Shinobi counted on her skills to save their lives and she couldn't be half asleep when performing her medical duties.

She was a foot away from the doorway when she stopped dead in her tracks. In front of her, blocking her path, was Kakashi. His arms were crossed over his chest. He leaned against the door frame and by the way his eye was curved she could easily tell he was smirking under that mask of his. She could also tell Ino was responsible for sending him to prevent her from leaving.

"Leaving so soon, Sakura?" Kakashi queried with a teasing disappointment in his voice. "And I didn't even get a dance!"

His deep chuckle filled her ears at her facial expression. Why shouldn't he find it amusing? It was adorable!

Sakura 'hmph'ed and stared up at him, the memories of that morning surfacing. She felt her anger start up again.

"Ya'know, I think my birthday present from you should be you allowing me to see your face," Sakura pouted, folding her arms over her chest. "It's the least you can do after that sick prank you and Naruto called a present earlier!" Sakura placed one hand on her hip, pointing an accusatory finger at Kakashi with the other.

Kakashi, upon the mention of the prank present, burst out laughing. Oh, how he and Naruto had enjoyed the look on Sakura's face…

_That morning, Sakura grinned as Kakashi and Naruto handed her the poorly wrapped package that was her birthday present. She tenderly took the gift, not taking note of anything suspicious when they beamed unbelievably wide. Why should she suspect anything?_

_Sakura checked the package for a card, shrugging when she found none. She began to pull back the pink wrapping paper, finding the corner of her gift to be orange. As her mind wondered through the list of things it could be, she finished pulling the paper off by sliding her finger down the center._

_As her fingers pulled the gift from the paper, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Kakashi and Naruto burst out in laughter, leaning against one another until their legs gave out and they toppled onto the ground._

_Sakura merely stared at the title of the orange gift she received, the orange book she held in her hands. Her brain was frozen. She couldn't think, couldn't move, and she couldn't believe what they had gotten her for her birthday! She was going to kill them!_

_In her hands was the newest edition of Icha Icha Paradise. Yeah, the same orange color, and flipping it over, she found the same red circle with a slash down the center. Ok, so she was 18, she was old enough, but why the hell would she want to read it? Especially when she was the star of this specific volume?_

_Wait…rewind, say that again?_

_On the cover there was a girl that looked practically identical to Sakura. Pink hair, viridian orbs. She, the girl, was being held by a silver haired man who was taller than she was, a mask on the lower half of his face and blue cloth covering his left eye. Silver hair…_

_Her mind went blank for a moment. She tried to think of what was on the cover. She wanted to know who the two people were. Then it hit her._

_Sakura._

_Kakashi._

_Kakashi…and Sakura…_

_Her eyes widened even more when she fully got the picture. She and Kakashi were lovers in this book! She and Kakashi! Then that meant there were…_

_'Oh no…' she thought, snapping open the book and searching for a page where Jiraiya would draw out a sex scene._

_"He's seen me naked before?" she cried out._

_It didn't take very long for her to find a picture and she stared at it like she had with the cover. She didn't, however, stop because she was naked. She stopped because Kakashi had his head fallen back, lips pushing an 'o' against his mask, and she was on her knees-_

_"I'M GONNA KILL YOU GUYS!" Sakura screamed, throwing the book down and charging at the two ninjas in front of her._

Kakashi cleared his throat and reached a hand into his pocket, smirking the whole time.

"That was disgusting, you know that, right?" Sakura wrinkled her nose, watching him closely.

Kakashi shrugged.

"What was disgusting? You giving me a blow job or the fact that Jiraiya's seen you naked?"

Sakura shuddered at the thought of the two of them seeing her naked and taking notes on her body, nonetheless.

"Both. Plus the fact that we had a relationship. You are so lucky you only had him make a single copy. Any idea what that would do to us? Wait a minute, you don't actually wish we would do that type of stuff, right?" she questioned hesitantly.

Kakashi looked at her for a moment before bringing his spare arm to pull her to him. He brought his clothed lips to her ear.

"You'd be surprised how easily you can get someone to do something for you with a little persuasion," he spoke in mock seduction.

Sakura hit him in the shoulder and took a step away from him.

"Kakashi!" she gasped, lips forming a smile before laughing softly. "That's horrible!"

"It's still true, Sakura. But anyway, Naruto, Genma, and I saw something and we pitched in to get it for you. It's a real birthday present."

The hand in his pocket pulled out a thin rectangular box covered in a dark plum colored velvet. He grasped one of her hands and wrapped her fingers around the box, closing his hands over hers.

"This is for you," he said softly.

Sakura looked down at their hands before pulling hers away, allowing her eyes to scan the small box. Her fingertips reached under the clasp and pushed up the top, eyes widening as she gasped. Her gaze shot straight up to Kakashi's face.

"Kakashi! You didn't!" she cried, much to Kakashi's enjoyment.

"Our favorite little blossom works too hard and deserves more than just a prank present for her birthday," Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, giving Sakura a genuine smile. "I'm proud of you Sakura. You've grown from being a weak 12-year-old that I thought wouldn't advance. Look how wrong I was. You're now a powerful and respected jonin under Tsunade."

"Kakashi…this is too beautiful. It's—"

"Nothing is too good for you Sakura, you got that?" Kakashi cut in, knowing what she was going to say.

She bit her lip and looked at the gift in her hands. Kakashi pulled the necklace from its silk bed and held it between his fingers.

"Lift your hair up and turn around," he said softly.

Hesitantly, Sakura did so and soon she felt the cold of the necklace against her skin as Kakashi draped it around her neck, clasping it. She felt his fingers run from her neck over her shoulders and down her arms, grasping her hands and turning her around to face him.

"I don't ever want to hear you say you're not good enough again, alright?" She nodded and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and resting her chin on his shoulder.

She felt him wrap an arm around her waist, placing the other on the middle of her back. She was not letting Ino pick out her clothes for her again. Ever.

"Thank you so much, Kakashi. This means the world to me," she said, giving him a squeeze of a hug that he returned.

She turned her head, placing a kiss on his cheek before releasing her hold on him. When he saw her eyes, it was only habit that he try to make her laugh. He hated seeing tears in her eyes more than he hated seeing her cry because when he saw the tears in her eyes, he at least had the chance to make them disappear. It was so much harder to make her stop crying when she already started.

"You know you would've been able to see my face in the Icha book if you hadn't thrown it out," Kakashi stated, smiling.

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Well it's a good thing I didn't throw it away then!" she said happily.

"Yeah- wait, what? You didn't throw it out?" Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly.

"I wasn't done analyzing it. As soon as I'm done I plan on going over to the women's bathhouse so I can wait for Jiraiya and personally thank him for portraying me like he had." There was a hint of bad intent in her voice.

"You know I was only joking, right?" he said quickly in a hopeful last attempt to get her to not look at the book.

She gave a half grin.

"Of course, Kakashi. Don't worry, I won't look," Sakura promised honestly.

He visibly relaxed and Sakura smiled, waving to him and turning to leave.

"Thanks again, Kakashi! See ya around!"

Kakashi waved before moving back inside and seating himself at a table in the corner where a drink and his two boys of crime sat, arguing about something. He sighed as he slid against the cushioned booth, his body instantly adapting the semi-uncomfortable positioning.

Upon Kakashi's arrival, Genma and Naruto ceased their bickering and turned to him. Their eyes examined him and they were grinning. They were arguing, after all, about Kakashi and Sakura.

"So, how'd it go?" Genma asked, sipping from his glass.

"She told me she really didn't like what Naruto and I did this morning—"

"But that was so fun! The look on her face was priceless!" Naruto cut in, arms wrapping around his midsection as he laughed, Sakura's shocked expression replaying in his mind.

"Yes," Kakashi began again, "but she seemed worried I actually harbored those types of feelings for her."

"You told her you don't, of course," Genma asked, raising an eyebrow as he hid his worry.

"Of course I don't! She's my ex-student!" he protested.

"Yes, but all the more for you to make a move on her," Genma added.

"No, I don't find her pleasing as a sex partner. Even if I did, I would never do something like a one night fling to her. She's too fragile for that."

Genma laughed and Kakashi looked over towards Naruto's face. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide.

"You actually considered having sex with Sakura?" he screeched, pounding his fists on the table as he shot up from his seat.

Kakashi sighed and dropped his head on the table.

"No," his muffled voice came, "but Genma did. He was the one who came up with the idea in the first place. Anyway, Sakura loved the gift but she was thinking about giving it back because she thought she wasn't good enough to accept it."

"Oh, well, she did, right?" Naruto asked, sitting down and making Genma and Kakashi wonder how he could have such a short attention span.

"I put it on her because she seemed a bit too stunned to do it herself. It looks really good on her. I'm surprised I've got such good taste," Kakashi joked.

…

The night was beautiful to Sakura. The stars glittered in their purplish black blanket in the sky. The moon was full and the heavens were sparsely clouded. The air was cool around her but it comforted her still hot body, soothing her skin.

Her finger drifted up to the necklace Kakashi, Naruto, and Genma had gotten for her. It took her by surprise because she never would've thought the guys would buy something that stunning or even have the ability to pick something like that out.

The piece of jewelry she'd received was a thin strip of black velvet on one side, silk on the other, with a vertical lining of black, a choker. While there were clasps in the back, the material was cut in half in the center, the two strips attached to the small rings on the back of the silver heart that rested at her throat.

Sakura wanted to believe that there were diamonds lining the inner heart but she didn't think her boys would spend that much money on her. Kakashi had said she was worth it, though, and that they all pitched in, so maybe, yeah?

"Hell, a girl deserves something girly to really show she's a girl sometimes, right? Wait, did that even make sense?" Sakura spoke to herself, pausing to comprehend what she'd just said.

With a shrug she continued her journey to her house, speeding up once she remembered she still needed to bathe before bed and get out her outfit for tomorrow. She moved quickly, arriving at the door to her house within a few minutes. She produced a key from her skirt, hidden on the underside of the material in a small pocket.

She pulled it out and pressed it into the keyhole, listening to the clicks as the key slid correctly to the side. Holding the key in her hand after pulling it from the lock, she grasped the doorknob in her hand and opened her door, slipping through before shutting it and locking it behind her.

She inhaled, loving the welcoming smell of lavender that her house held due to the various candles and potpourri she had in each room. She bent down, balancing herself with a hand on the wall, and drew her sandals off of her feet, tossing the keys into a small woven basket on a stand in the hallway.

Her fingers performed their habit of switching on the lights when they passed over the small toggles and she winced slightly at the brightness that filled the room. A yawn pushed past her colored lips as she walked barefoot, shoes still in hand, down the hall and towards the living room. Her free hand ran through her hair, undoing all the twists and curls Ino had made her hair into.

She sighed as she felt her hair begin to loosen, clumps falling to touch just two inches past her shoulders. Her head felt better as each bit fell until finally all of her hair lay spread over her shoulders.

She walked through the living room, past the kitchen, and into the tiled bathroom, pulling off the jewelry she'd purchased that day and laying it on the bathroom counter. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and scrunched her face up.

There was a whole new person in that mirror. It was a shell for her shell, in other words. She never would've dreamed she'd turn out like this. It was so strange to look at her reflection and say it was her, because she knew it wasn't. She wasn't this chipper person she pretended to be.

Honestly, she didn't know what was worse. The fact that she couldn't show her pain or the fact that nobody could pick up on it. There was no telling what would happen next if the village didn't hear about it directly. She was relatively positive she could commit suicide in front of everyone and they wouldn't know until she dropped dead on the floor.

"God, Konoha wouldn't know anything until it was too late," she sighed, turning to the bathtub, turning the water on, and waiting for the liquid to heat up.

Her light pink bathrobe was hanging on the wall and she reached up to untie her shirt when she realized something.

The living room light, kitchen light, as well as the bathroom light were all on when she came into the house, yet she never flipped either of the switches.

Someone was in her house.

She immediately pretended to continue what she was doing, like she was taught. If someone is in your house, let them think you don't know they're there. She inched her way towards the sink, reaching for the jar of circle shaped bubble bars to produce bubbles for her bath.

Behind the jar her fingers grasped the cold metal of a kunai knife and turning around she placed the jar on the edge of the bathtub and walked to the entrance to the bathroom, kunai in hand. She felt around for any enemy chakra to hopefully indicate their hiding place.

She never expected to trace it to the couch in the living room.

Inhaling she clenched the kunai more tightly in her hand and took a step out of the bathroom, eyes scanning quickly and halting when she saw a figure sitting on the couch, reading…Icha Icha Paradise…

"What the…"

The figure moved the book away from his face and Sakura's eyes widened. She suddenly felt dizzy and leaned against the wall behind her to prevent her from fainting. Her weapon fell from her fingers and hit the floor with a clang.

He smirked and tossed the book onto the table, uncrossing his legs and moving to his feet. He didn't move quickly from there, simply took slow steps around the table before him and across the cream colored rug beneath his feet. He stopped about two yards in front of her.

"I was wondering when you were going to notice. I would've thought before you got as far as the light being turned on, but judging from your posture, you're a bit on the tired side, correct?" he spoke, raising a brow at Sakura's silence.

'How could I have forgotten? Damnit, Sakura! How the hell could you forget you idiot!' she thought.

How was it possible to forget what would save her from sure death? How was it possible to forget giving up something as precious as her virginity? No, now it all came down to this meeting. Now that she actually knew, it seemed a lot harder than she thought it would be.

Two years ago, she didn't have to think about it as much. It was going to get her Sasuke back sooner. No problem saying yes. Now, though, she found it to be extremely difficult to explain to herself.

Why the hell would she get out of this and still get Sasuke? She couldn't.

Shit.

"Orochimaru, I—"

"I'd turn the water off if I were you," he interrupted.

Sakura's brows furrowed before she realized he meant her bath. She swore under her breath and sprinted past the door to the side of the bath, leaning across and turning the handle just in time, but sloshing some of the water onto herself in the process.

"Crap!" she cried, drawing away from the steaming water, looking down at her dampened shirt.

"You were already in the middle of changing, correct?" Orochimaru asked over her shoulder.

Sakura yelped in surprise and spun, falling back towards the water. Orochimaru was faster, however, and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him and holding her there securely.

"Careful," he teased. "As much as red is your color, I'd much rather prefer it not to be your blood. Unless, of course, I'm the one drawing it…"

Sakura gulped and looked down. Their hips were touching…they were touching…

'Well you kinda need to touch to have sex!' Inner Sakura barked.

"This is really happening isn't it?" Sakura asked softly, wide eyes looking into Orochimaru's gold ones.

He brought his free hand up to gently stroke her cheek. He enjoyed watching her nervousness. It brought him as much pleasure as seeing someone cower in fear of him. Furthermore, he had decided that he wasn't going to make this event pleasurable only for him, but he would introduce her to the wonders of sex.

Of course, he was hoping that fucking would become the more appropriate term.

"Why don't you wash that makeup off and take your bath, like you planned? Relax a little bit. You won't be able to enjoy tonight if you're tense," he advised, pulling away from her and turning, heading over to the bathroom doorway and spinning to face the living room so she could have her time to get undressed and into the bathtub.

Sakura nervously rubbed her upper arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Well you certainly can't take a bath with your clothes on, now can you? Would you rather I watched you take them off?" he supplied, smirking when he felt her cheeks turn red with embarrassment.

Yes, felt. He could feel it in the air, along with her tension and her nervousness.

"Thank you," she whispered, hurrying to untie the halter.

She tugged at the knot, cursing at how many times she'd tied the straps for fear of it coming undone while she danced. She almost cried out when the straps slid down to expose her skin to the warm air and instinctually threw an arm over her chest to keep it covered while she tossed the shirt into the hamper in the far corner.

Next were the chains on the skirts, which she unhooked quickly before letting them clink into a small pile on the counter with her jewelry. The skirt, with one hand, came unbuttoned and unzipped, and it fell to the floor with her panties. She stepped out of the material, stealing nervous glances at Orochimaru before bending and picking up the clothes.

After hurriedly tossing them into the hamper as well, she took one large step over to the tub and hissed as the hot water touched her feet, then her legs, as she slid into the water. She heard Orochimaru chuckle in the background as she slid the rest of her body into the hot water, biting her lip as she settled herself against the back, arms over her chest and knees bent upright.

Sakura briefly considered not telling him she was in but knew he knew already. She sighed and looked at his figure from behind. His tall form was covered with regular attire. He wasn't dressed in the white robes everyone claimed to see him in. He was dressed in normal casual clothing.

Orochimaru was clad simply in a dark blue t-shirt with small gray circles on the bottom front. Faded jeans adorned his lower half. Jeans. Jeans. He was wearing jeans!

"Alright, you can turn around now," she said quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear but knowing better.

Orochimaru did turn around and immediately picked up on her rigid posture, chuckling at the way she refused to look at him, meet his gaze. A spread of red littered her cheeks at his response. Well, she did still have some qualities he'd need to work on getting rid of.

'So much to do in such little time,' he thought as he silently walked over to the tub, standing behind Sakura.

If possible, his presence behind her made her tense up even more, and the sudden feel of his sigh on her shoulder made her jump. His hands eased her shoulders down and he brought his lips to her ear, corner of his mouth quirking up.

"I'm just taking this off. You don't want it to get damaged, do you?" he whispered, taking note of the way her neck and shoulders turned a light pink, a sign he was positive meant she was embarrassed.

His fingers ran over the necklace she'd received that evening and he analyzed the materials the choker was made of. Velvet and silk, silver and diamonds, oh, this piece of jewelry most definitely cost a lot of money.

'My, whoever bought this for her spent a large portion of their salary,' he concluded.

He also came to the conclusion that he didn't like it, her wearing something like that. It displeased him to see her in something that hinted at her belonging to someone else. He harbored no feelings of love towards the girl but in order for his plan to work, he needed to be able to hold a protective state of mind over Sakura.

Her cooperation was vital, this night, and wearing the necklace would only serve to signify she had already been claimed. Wearing it would pull her mind away from tonight, and he absolutely could not have that if this were to work out.

"Just relax, Sakura," he spoke softly, the tips of his fingers pressing the clasp at the back of her neck and releasing the opposite side into his hand.

Gently he pulled the material away and stood fully, leaning over towards the counter and depositing the gift onto the hard surface. Sakura's reflection caught his attention and his golden eyes peered at what he could see of her body.

She did have a wonderful body, not overly done like Tsunade, but well proportioned and well taken care of. A toned body, flat stomach, something he'd expect from a ninja. Soft smooth skin, manicured nails, not something he'd expect from a shinobi.

'That Ino girl keeps pushing Sakura into things she's uncomfortable with, like those clothes and that makeup,' he thought.

True, he thought Sakura looked wonderfully tempting in her tight and semi-exposing outfit, but the makeup he found to be concealing her natural beauty. She looked so much better without makeup on, at least from what he could remember having seen her two years ago.

Alright, that was a lie. He'd stopped by at least three times in the past few years to keep tabs on her growth and development, strength-wise, skill-wise, and body-wise. Those three points were vital in his plans for the rose haired kunoichi.

A sloshing of water returned him from his thoughts and he noticed, through the reflection in the mirror, Sakura had let her legs straighten out, sinking down a bit so that the bubbly water just reached the beginning of her cleavage. She'd allowed her arms to move so they rested on the rim of the bathtub.

Orochimaru chuckled softly as a relaxed expression came across her face. Her body looked less on edge and the tension in the air even lessened a bit. All it took to get her to soften up was to move into a more comfortable position. Go figure.

He moved back over to his position at the back of the tub and returned one hand to her shoulder, bringing the other one to pull her hair away from her ear, tucking it behind it. She tensed once again but quickly calmed down, swallowing before darting her tongue out to wet her dry lips.

Sakura felt Orochimaru rub his nose along her neck and while the thought of what he was doing startled her, she moved her head to the opposite side so he had more access to her skin. He cradled her head in the hand that was previously on her shoulder and used the other one to stroke up and down the flesh.

His mouth closed over the hanging cartilage of her ear, his warm mouth over her skin causing a startled sound to come from her throat. His teeth scraped over it, nibbling softly before releasing it from his mouth and letting his tongue lick up her ear.

Sakura bit her lip when his moved to kiss her neck, teeth scraping and mouth sucking, pulling the skin up to wet with his long tongue. Although it wasn't something extreme, her stomach was tingling in a way she'd never really felt before.

She was positive it wasn't nervousness, and it definitely wasn't shame or embarrassment. It felt…good, like a warmth that was growing in her stomach, in a sense. It was strange, yes, but it felt good, so she'd leave it at that. She was also acutely aware of a slight…ache…between her legs.

She closed her legs hoping it might help but squeezing everything together only increased the ache. She was suddenly pulled out of her trance when she felt teeth biting her shoulder. The feeling in her stomach grew, as did the ache. She spread her legs apart, shifting her hips and closing her eyes.

'This soon, huh?' Orochimaru thought, smirking.

He instantly recognized the early signs of her arousal and decided to step things up a bit. The hand cradling her head turned it towards his face, pressing his lips to her jaw, he moved slowly up to her mouth.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open and met the golden ones of the sannin.

"Orochimaru?" she whispered, lips forming his name just barely against his own.

Her heart thundered in her chest. Looking at those eyes made her suddenly feel weak and defenseless, a pathetic excuse for a kunoichi. They made her feel like she was powerless and that everything she did he would know, everything she thought of he would counter. He was in control and he could make her bend under his will.

But they were beautiful in their own way and demanded respect from everyone. They were determined and held a brilliance that outdid Tsunade's. Sakura knew she was intelligent but Orochimaru's eyes were pouring with pure genius.

"Just let your body do the thinking, let it guide you. This is something that only turns bad when you think about what you're going to do. It's natural, so let it happen that way," he explained, his tone helpful to the inexperienced girl before him.

When she closed her eyes, he joined their lips together, teeth pulling her bottom lip into his mouth, momentarily nibbling on it before pushing his tongue into her mouth, earning a groan from her directly into him. His tongue pressed against hers, teasing her into pushing back.

His fingers wove through her soft hair as her arms moved to wrap around him, pulling him closer to her as she started kissing back. His words rang through her head and she acted upon them with minor difficulty.

'Natural, just let my body do whatever it's tempted to do,' she reminded herself, getting into the kiss with as much passion as she could put in it, taking control of the kiss.

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk against hers as he upped his half of the battle, easily dominating the situation and swallowing another moan from the girl in his arms. The sound still made it to his ears and his erection made itself known as it jerked up.

He continued to battle her tongue with his, more wonderful sounds pouring into his mouth only to continue to awaken a certain someone. His free hand began to slide down her shoulder, tracing innocent designs with much less innocent intentions.

Orochimaru pressed his fingertips down over her collarbone, shifting so he could reach her easily and not put any strain on her neck. Turning his palm, his slid his hand further down until he hit warm water, and moved his hand to the side before sliding it beneath the water, palm brushing over Sakura's nipple, making her jump.

He cupped her breast with his hand finding it fit surprisingly well into his hand. He contracted his hand around her breast and knew she felt the stirrings.

She felt like she was throbbing and it had stopped being annoying. It was starting to get uncomfortable! She moved her hips again and squeezed her legs together, finding it actually helped a little, making the throbbing a little more bearable but still increasing the…need, was it?

Need for what? Need for an end to this ache? Need for sex? Need for Orochimaru's touches? Need for Orochimaru?

Another squeeze from Orochimaru evolved into his thumb and forefinger pulling her nipple and rolling it, alternating between this and pushing the nipple down. She let out a high-pitched whimper into his mouth before he pulled away completely. She furrowed her brows in confusion.

"D-did I do something…wrong?" she asked, watching as Orochimaru walked over the wall where her bathrobe was, fingering the silk material before pulling a towel from the hook next to it.

He turned to face her, grabbing a towel and shook his head.

"No. I would've thought you'd be a bit more comfortable on a mattress rather than in a bathtub, but if you'd prefer to stay—"

"No, no, thank you, I'll get…out…"

Mattress…

So they were going straight to having sex, right? She exhaled and looked up at him, finding he'd moved to stand beside the tub, towel hanging open in one hand while the other was stretched out to be accepted by Sakura's hand.

Sakura looked down and a blush covered her cheeks.

'He's gonna see ya naked soon so suck it up and take his hand!' Inner Sakura barked.

Sakura closed her eyes, counted to five in her head, then opened them, looking down. Her hand shakily grasped his and tightened. She felt him begin to pull her up and she stood, slightly shaking as the cool air in the room was a drastic change in temperature.

She didn't have to see Orochimaru's face to feel his eyes roaming over her skin. Although it was a brief look, it felt like an eternity to Sakura. She was suddenly aware of a warm soft towel being wrapped around her and her gaze shot up to meet Orochimaru's.

He was in the process of securing the towel before swooping down and picking Sakura up. She panicked and let out a cry as she was pulled against Orochimaru, held with one arm under her shoulders, the other under her knees.

Her hand immediately clenched the towel between her hands, holding the material to her chest. Wide green eyes stared up at him. His response was a sigh before he exited the bathroom and walked into the living room. He turned right and came upon a door.

The hand under her knees grasped the handle and turned it, pushing the door open and walking in. He looked down to see Sakura's confused expression and began to explain.

"You were out for much longer than I expected. I've been here for at least three hours," he spoke as he walked to the bed.

"So you made yourself accustomed to my room?" she looked at him with disbelief.

He nodded and she groaned.

"More or less."

As he bent down to set her on the bed, she was suddenly aware that something hard was pressed against her side. Her eyes widened for a moment, thinking she was imagining something that wasn't real, but rocked her hips into him and knew her mistake the second he let out a grunt.

"Oro…chimaru?" she whispered, swallowing.

He set her down on the bed, pushing on her shoulders until she was flat on her back. Keeping one foot on the ground, he swung his other leg over Sakura's midsection, not actually touching her but rather hovering over her.

His one hand held her shoulder down while the other moved the towel up at the bottom, exposing everything from the waist down. His fingers moved south and Orochimaru reveled in the quivering of her stomach, how her skin twitched and shifted because of her nervousness and anticipation.

"I guarantee you'll enjoy this," he whispered into her ear, finger so close to his prize.

"Wait, Orochimaru, just a—ah!"

Orochimaru pushed down on the small nub between her legs and another cry passed her lips. His thumb circled the sensitive flesh and she gasped again. Looking down he saw now she would be ready for him but decided against it when he had a few more things in mind before then.

It was becoming harder to control his erection, he thought about it and knew the more noises Sakura made, the more he'd have to control himself. He grinned when he felt her hips push up against his finger and decided now would be perfect to make it a bit better for her.

He moved his middle finger to meet his thumb, the two fingers attacking her clit mercilessly. Her fingers gripped the bed and her hips shifted to the side, but his fingers moved without a single mistake. Bringing his middle finger down, he pressed it between her lips, rubbing back and forth, each time moving closer to her weeping hole.

She was already wet from his previous attentions but now that she had some direct stimulation, she was leaking. Even worse, her body had never felt anything like what she was feeling and the throbbing was once again insistent, so aching that it was almost painful.

His middle finger finally reached her entrance and he slid it inside with much ease, loving the way she clenched around him, loving the way he imagined it'd feel to have that tightness clenched around his cock. She groaned as he began to pump it in and out of her, grasping the sheets and biting her lip.

She hissed when he added another finger, all the while his thumb still working her clit. He smirked when her cries evolved from gasps, watching her facial expressions go as far as almost pained when she enjoyed it the most.

However, he deemed it a good time to stop and pulled his fingers out of her, eyeing the tinted fluid coating his fingers. He laughed as she looked at him, her look questioning, asking him why he stopped. Her eyes were yelling at him for stopping. He simply inserted his fingers into his mouth, sucking off her juices and staring her down, daring her to say something while he cleaned his fingers off.

"There's one last thing before we get started," he said, getting completely to his feet.

"What?" she questioned, the attitude behind her words enough to make him mentally smirk.

She sat up, fixing the towel and swinging her legs off the side of the bed. She was waiting, that's what that meant. He raised a brow at her sudden enthusiasm.

'Hell, if I had to go through that only for it to be stopped, I'd be pissed, too,' he thought with a chuckle, noting how she was rubbing her thighs together.

He reached down to pull on her hand and she took the action as a command for her to stand. Clutching the towel to her chest she stood only to be pulled away from the bed and pushed down to her knees. Sakura's eyes widened.

'What the hell is doing? Why would—oh!'

"I'm assuming you understand but from your expression I take it you've never taken a man in your mouth before," he taunted, eyes flashing with something Sakura couldn't quite catch.

She was feeling terrified, horrified, disgusted…aroused? Well, duh, she had been enjoying his fingers moving inside of her only moments earlier, but how she felt now was completely different. He was telling her what to do without actually saying it, implying that this would be something that would extend her knowledge of sexual experiences.

Hell, this entire night was one big lesson on the wonders of sex, and up until this point she'd been learning foreplay that would work on both genders and a few tricks for women. She'd definitely need to try that out on her own sometime. And now? Well, she was about to learn how to please a man…

She was absolutely terrified at the prospect of taking him into her mouth. She didn't think she'd been more scared of doing something ever before. It was just something…strange, and she wasn't sure if she could so much as look at the bulge in his pants without feeling nauseas.

His hand was still holding hers, he realized, when she squeezed it, looking directly at the crotch of his jeans. He decided he would help her a little and brought her hand up to the buckle of his belt. She tilted her head up at him and questioned him with her eyes.

She really did not want to do this!

"You know Sasuke would expect this from you, Sakura?" he asked, raising a brow.

Disbelief washed over her face and she shook her head, fingers gripping his belt buckle harshly.

"He wouldn't! He wouldn't just force me to—"

"Ah, but have you seen him the last two years?" he cut her off.

Sakura's mouth opened to say something and she blinked a few times before closing her mouth. She shook her head and silently moved her other hand up to his buckle, letting a finger slide beneath the leather and sliding it from the metal. She bit her lip and paused, staring once again as she brushed her fingers over the button.

She inhaled and unbuttoned the jeans, flinching at the sound the zipper made as she pulled it down. Her fingers began shaking as they moved back to the top of his jeans, making sure to slip the tips behind the bands of his boxers.

She couldn't help but give a small smile of humor at that. She never would've imagined Orochimaru to be a man who wore boxers. No meaningful offense to him, but she'd have thought he'd be more of a plain white underwear sort of guy.

Her grip tightened on the material and she exhaled, pulling the jeans and boxers down and moving her eyes to the side to give herself a few more moments before she had to start pleasing him.

After counting to ten in her head she tilted her head to face his hips and what she saw was definitely not what she was expecting, nowhere even close. Now, being a medic-nin it was only natural she'd seen men naked before, but usually a patient isn't sporting a high-quality boner as they're being attacked by enemy shinobi.

She was simply overreacting for multiple reasons, naturally, but having seen something like that, her nerves weren't going to be calmed down any time soon. Her thoughts were along the lines of how it was possible to get that into her let alone into her mouth. She found his two fingers to be slightly uncomfortable, and not only was this thicker and longer, she felt like she was going to choke.

"Just get as much as you can in and use your hands for the rest," he hinted, his tone highly amused at her reaction.

She nodded slowly, swallowing to try and ease some of the dryness that had occupied her throat, failing horribly. She brought her tongue out in one last attempt to wet her lips before she closed her eyes and forced her head forward, lips closing around his mostly hardened member.

He held back a groan as her mouth fit around him, hot and wet and providing the perfect factors to make him harder. He felt the back of her throat begin to close somewhat and reached a hand down to grab her head, pushing it back a little bit. It wouldn't be a smart idea to get her gagging so soon.

He did, however, make a noise in his throat when he felt, and heard, her whimper, the small vibrations sending pleasurable zings up his spine. Sakura hesitantly brought one of her hands to cover what she couldn't fit in her mouth. Her other hand moved up to grasp his hip to steady herself.

In all honesty, Sakura felt disgusting. She felt dirty and ashamed that she was actually doing something like this. This was not how she had planned on spending her first time! Sasuke had to be flipping his lid at that moment and yelling and pleading for her not to go through with this.

'I'm so sorry, Sasuke, but I'm doing this for you,' she thought and began moving her head back before pushing it forward again.

She stopped thinking and let her body take over. Her hand tightened a bit and she felt him stiffen, a slight hiss coming from between clenched teeth. Her tongue pressed against the head before pulling him into her mouth again, sucking on his length a swirling her tongue around the flesh as it hardened in her mouth. This time she heard a soft groan and thought he had thrown his head back.

She jumped slightly when she felt it pulse but ignored it as she began to work a simultaneous rhythm between her hand and mouth. His hand gripped the back of her head a little rougher than he meant as she continued to suck and work her hand and tongue.

She actually realized that this wasn't extremely horrible. Yes, she still did feel dirty for doing something like giving him head, hell, she was going to have sex with him and she'd only met him twice. She felt…powerful, so to speak. She felt a sense of pride in knowing she had the power to make him groan, hiss in pleasure, that she was the one doing it.

It made her feel amazing to know that she made him produce such sounds. Even better, she'd never done any of this before and she had this effect on him! It made her feel on top of the world.

Suddenly she was being pulled away from his length and onto her feet, her hands shooting out to grasp onto his shirt to hold help her keep her balance. She only noticed that his shirt was now missing and she was holding onto, or at least attempting to hold on to, his chest.

"You definitely do not look like any fifty year old guy I know…" Sakura said in awe.

He chuckled and she watched with fascination as the sound transferred into her fingers, the movement forcing his exposed skin to move. His body was amazing! His skin was smooth, pale, but not unattractive. He was built just like Kakashi, thin but toned, not quite broad shouldered but even and proportioned with his hips. Long legs, muscled arms.

'Does he take the bodies like this or does he actually continue to train in them so they look like this?'

"I train about a often as I read, Sakura, half of the time it's with Sasuke ever since I've started teaching him," he explained, cupping her face and bringing her face him, lips barely apart.

Their breaths mingled and Orochimaru grinned, eyes flashing.

"My, my, someone certainly is full of herself," he chuckled, watching her brows furrow.

"Coming from you I'll take it as a compliment," she retorted, foot moving towards the bed.

She was abruptly pulled hard against him, lips claiming hers once again as his fingers removed the towel from her grip, letting it drop onto the floor. She was now completely naked against him and she gasped when his manhood brushed against her thigh.

Her mind was beginning to try and form some sort of an explanation to escape this once again, but another part of Sakura actually wanted this. A new part even showed up explaining that this is what Sasuke got for denying her all those times. She simply told her brain to, bluntly speaking, of course, fuck off and let her enjoy her first time with someone experienced.

She didn't expect it to be tender and sweet, but he knew what he was doing.

Her brain stopped interrupting and Inner Sakura was grinning like a maniac. Sasuke did deserve this for expecting her to wait for him even after he told her she was annoying, to go away, that he wasn't interested, that she needed to stop flirting and work on honing her skills because she was worse than Naruto.

Her mind was made up. No regrets. This was it. This was the last step to forgetting about Sasuke and the first to a new life. Her new life would be filled with lots of partying with Ino at the club and more days out with the girls when she wasn't on duty. Her new life would be Sasuke-less and she would be significantly happier.

"Orochimaru, I'm ready now," Sakura urged, a genuine smile gracing her lips.

In a flash Sakura found herself pinned beneath the snake-nin with her legs spread wide to make room for him, one hand on her left thigh, the other resting above her head on the bed as he hovered over her. He pressed his erection to her entrance and looked down at her, eyes asking for him.

'No regrets, Sakura…' Inner Sakura chimed as Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down so their lips were close.

"I'm ready," she whispered, and Orochimaru roughly smashed his lips against hers, hand around her thigh tightening as he slammed his hips forward into Sakura's virgin entrance, feeling her cry into his mouth as he broke through her barrier.

Everything went dead silent and Orochimaru remained still inside of Sakura, wanting her to have some time to adjust rather than pull out and start pounding into her. Although his cock was in heaven at that moment, smothered by her tightness, he chose to wait. He opted for giving her a slow but passionate kiss which she responded to quickly, though faking that she was fine.

As their kiss continued, Orochimaru began to feel her shift slightly beneath him and began to slowly pull out of her, stopping when only the head of his cock lay inside of her.

Another shift of Sakura's hips signaled he could continue, and he slid back into her, rocking his hips only to receive a shuddering moan from Sakura.

He slid back out once again only this time he thrust in with a much harder force. Sakura gave out another cry, but this one was pleasure based rather than pain based. Orochimaru adopted this method, pulling out slowly and thrusting in sharply, and paid careful attention the pitches of her sounds and the expressions she had, how her body moved.

It wasn't long before Sakura's hips began to thrust back. She felt like there was something growing inside of her stomach and she was developing the feeling of some discomfort due to her lacking of satisfaction. She needed to finish this growth, reach the peak of whatever it was she was nearing. If she didn't then she was going to go crazy!

She gasped, arching her back as he gave a particularly hard thrust, soon applying this to his usual thrusts and upping his pace. He knew this wasn't going to last very long due to Sakura's and his being close. He wasn't going to stop though. Oh no, tonight had gone into the AM's already and he was going to make sure she felt it when she went to work.

To Sakura, each thrust was a match striking and lighting and rekindling a fire that spread deliciously from her groin throughout the rest of her body. Her fingers were numb as were her toes but that didn't stop them from curling around the sheets as pleasure settled itself into her cells, absorbing every touch Orochimaru placed on her body.

She was vaguely aware of the things that came out of her mouth, the gasps and moans, the groans and cries, his name that seemed to be the only word she could force her lips to model. They were both sweating by this point and Sakura was so close to something and she wasn't hitting it. She needed to stop this, this, this, whatever it was that was making her uncomfortable and wanting.

She wanted Orochimaru in a selfish way that she honestly wouldn't mind admitting. She wanted him to make her feel filled and wanted. He could teach her things she never would've dreamed of knowing let alone doing. She could be his sex student to put it bluntly, and if this was going to be the outcome every time, she'd beg him to teach her that jutsu so she could transfer bodies just the same as him.

By this point in time Orochimaru could hear her begging him, "please! Please!" and he was almost at the edge himself. With one final look at her face he moved the hand from above her and brought it down to her clit once again, pressing down on it firmly without moving, following her hips as she arched and shifted beneath him.

When she came, she let out a loud high pitched cry, his name, as her vision erupted in flashes of white. A numb feeling spread from her hips to her knees. She clenched so tightly around him it made him grunt a little louder than he meant as he released himself into her, looking down at the flushed face of the pink haired kunoichi.

She groaned, exhausted, as she tried to catch her breath, turning her head towards the nightstand. She groaned again and turned her head back the other way, covering it with her hands. This time when she saw what time it was.

"It's 12:54," she whined. "Damnit Tsunade is gonna be pissed when she sees me during shift!"

Orochimaru brought a hand to her face, pushing hers aside and leaning forward to kiss her. A simple kiss was enough to grab her attention. Well, that and the fact that she could feel him growing inside of her, ready for another round. She looked up at him in awe. He could still keep going!

"Let her see that the medic prodigy has enough sense to have fun with someone who knows what he's doing," he teased, pulling out of her once again before slamming back in.

Her eyes closed and she let out a breathy moan before opening her eyes again and groaning.

"How the hell can you still have so much energy left? I'm exhausted!" she complained.

Her body felt like jell-o, the numbness gone. She didn't think she could last another experience like that right after something so incredible. It didn't stop Orochimaru who merely began a slow pace of hard thrusts and getting Sakura to melt in his arms.

"A little piece of advice, blossom," he whispered into her ear. "When you're given the opportunity, it's extremely important otherwise it wouldn't be an opportunity."

Sakura wrapped her arms around him again, this time her legs moved around his waist.

"Am I really that important to you?" she asked, most of it moaned.

"Oh, darling little Sakura, you have no idea…" he chuckled.

'No, you have no idea at all.'

…

…

…

2/27/12: Chapter two is now edited!


	3. Unfortunately Comforting

**EDITED 6/25/12**

**Orochimaru/Sakura Picture**

I attempted to draw a picture of the two so here it is. Hope you guys like!

http: (slash)(slash) .Org (Slash) fanart (slash) (slash) 187324

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Unfortunately Comforting

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Build God, Then We'll Talk" by Panic! At the Disco

"Pretty Girl (The Way)" by Sugarcult

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Build God, Then We'll Talk" by Panic! At the Disco, "Pretty Girl (The Way)" by Sugarcult, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. And Gaara! Did I mention Gaara/Sakura is a new favorite? Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

**This chapter is dedicated to kakashisninjadogs and Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi!**

Special thanks to everyone who reviewed, anonymous and logged in! I appreciate it so much! You guys rock!

AsianOne

MerodiPansa

Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi

Crazy anime idiot (woot!)

SexySaiyanSakura

Neji-Freak

Monkeyluv4646

A Girl Who Loves Anime

.x

highpockets

K. Lynn Smith

Blaze007

Cutesensei

ItachiFreak

Kakashisninjadogs

SesshysGal

Extra: **OROCHIMARU/SAKURA STORY ALERT!**

For those of you who complain there aren't any more OroSaku stories, Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi has come out with a lovely lemon and I'm telling all of you to check it out! And if you haven't read it, of course, READ IT!

Well, would you look at that! I'm so happy you guys like it! You have no idea how wonderful it is to know that I can get 21 reviews for two chapters on such a rare pairing! Thank you guys so much!

This chapter extremely important in the development of Sakura's feelings towards Orochimaru. I also thought I should point out that the first few chapters will be spread apart. The content may go anywhere from two weeks apart to a few months apart until later on when each chapter signifies a day apart or an hour apart, so on, so forth. Some of you may think it seems too soon for Sakura to be acting the way she will be, but I'd like to point out that it has been ONE MONTH since chapter two. ENJOY!

Oh, and a side note, if you like the European bands, listen to the Arctic Monkeys and their song "Scummy"! The band all in all is wonderful! This song is actually pretty amusing, so listen to it if you can! And, uh, for those of you who bother to read these, thank you so much! Another good band is Within Temptation and another is The Academy Is…

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

_Flashback_

* * *

Timeframe: One month after Sakura's 18th birthday.

Curiosity is one of human nature's greatest faults, yet also one if it's greatest gifts. Curiosity is dominant in small children who suddenly become interested in learning every possible bit of information the world has to offer. Why is the sky blue? Why are there so many stars? Where does the sun go when the moon comes out, and where does the moon go when the sun comes up? Why do some stars sparkle more than the others?

A little boy in his bedroom ponders these questions, gazing dreamily out of his open window, a light breeze caressing his small round face, his tiny nose twitching as the temperature lowers briefly. His curiosity gets the best of him as he attempts to count the stars in the sky.

"Alright, time to get to bed, Hojo," a soft and sugary sweet voice floated from the doorway to the child's bedroom, the gentle padding of feet against the carpeted floor gracefully landing what seemed to be the boy's mother directly behind him.

"Mommy?" the boy asked, large brown eyes shimmering in the light of the room.

His mother gets down to her knees behind her son, her dainty hands wrapping the child in a comforting and warm hug, lips planting loving kisses upon his cheeks and head.

"Mommy?" he repeats, cocking his head to the left. "Why are some of the stars brighter than the others? How come there's so many of them?"

"You remember what happened to your grandfather right?" she asked softly, grasping one small hand in hers. The child paused before hesitantly nodding.

"He died…"

"Right now, he's watching us from the sky. Each star is a person who has left our world and has continued on to a better place where we can only hope to meet up with them. All the stars, well, the bright ones are the people who have reached that special place and can safely watch over us," she explained carefully, choosing her words wisely.

"Really? But what about the ones that aren't bright?" he asked innocently.

"Those are the people who can't actually reach Heaven because they have something tying them back to this world."

"Like what?" he questioned, a sigh coming from his mother's lips.

"Someone's parents may be disappointed in their child because they did something, or didn't do something, that was the right decision. They might be waiting for their child to repent before they can completely go off to a better place."

"Oh…"

"Alright, now it's time to go to bed!"

A depressed sigh parted the pink lips of the rose haired kunoichi lounging rather uncomfortably upon the rooftop above the prying child. Her gaze was pained, jade eyes attempting to stare hard enough at the shower of glistening and dull stars, the supposed souls they all became. Her eyes locked onto a pair of very small and dull stars, felt the pull from those two points on the black map.

A wry smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Figures. Mom and dad must've died ten times over because of what I've done," she whispered, tilting her head over a bit.

Sakura sighed another gloomy sigh and closed her eyes, tensing as the memories from that one night flooded her mind. That night was the only thing imaginable, the only thing strong enough to completely destroy what was left of her life.

Sakura recalled the evening vividly. She knew she was tired when she came home only to find what shouldn't have been a surprise, Orochimaru. He had been reading that disgusting book where she had been giving head, among other things, to Kakashi. She shivered upon thinking how repulsed she had been when she saw the picture in the orange book but when she actually had to do it for Orochimaru, she didn't find it repulsive in the least. She was simply terrified because she didn't know what to do.

He had smirked that awkward smirk of his, curling his lips just a bit, corners of his mouth quirking up, white teeth barely contrasting to the practically glowing pale complexion that supported his strange expression. She remembered how he gave her time to wash only to have her in the shower for an extra twenty minutes cleaning herself to make sure she didn't still smell.

She wrinkled her nose upon that specific memory. The smell of sex, to her, wasn't a very pleasant one. The first time she recalled clearly, the second time they had sex as well. She vaguely remembered the rest of the night.

She was aware of the fact that they never left the bed and wasn't sure whether she should be relieved that she would only have the sheets to wash or whether she should be disappointed that her experience didn't include different types of positions in sex. Ino was all too into the more…awkward positions, giving large descriptive details of how it felt against a wall and in the shower.

Sakura squeezed her eyes even tighter together when she remembered some of the words she'd screamed, moaned, gasped, hell, she even remembered forgetting everything completely apart from the mind blowing pleasure that attacked her body in waves, waves that were somehow so wonderful they were practically painful.

She had woken up that morning, only receiving about two or three hours of sleep, finding that not only was Orochimaru not there, the entire room smelled horribly. She didn't want to understand that having so much sex could leave a scent, but finally came to terms with it after a few minutes due to the fact that she couldn't take the smell any longer.

As she made a move to sit up, a string of pain erupted from between her legs, crawling slowly up her spine and throughout her legs. Her fingers gripped the sheets until the pain began to ebb. Her lower half was extremely sore. However, being a medic-nin had its advantages.

She lifted the covers, a hand reaching down to begin with her thighs, chakra being drawn into her hand, only to find not only the skin being extremely tender, but covered with a somewhat crusty substance. She pondered for a few moments before her eyes widened, realizing something.

They didn't use a condom.

She groaned before healing herself a little bit, being so tired still that she didn't want to mess anything up. The soreness now bearable, she carefully slid off of her bed, stripped off all the sheets and blankets, and deposited them into the washing machine. After spraying the room with every scented spray she owned, she found the smell wouldn't dissipate and resorted to scented candles, which finished the job.

A hot shower was next on her list and after three very thorough scrubbings, she dried off and pulled on her outfit for the day. Upon arriving to see Tsunade, she was met with a face with a look only Tsunade could pull off. She looked terrified yet very amused simultaneously. Tsunade told Sakura she had the day off, to go home and get some sleep. Jokingly she added that she looked like crap, though it was the complete and awful truth.

Sakura immediately protested but Tsunade told her Shizune could take over for her. They argued for a total of five minutes before Sakura gave up, too exhausted to keep it up any longer. The moment she got home she collapsed on the couch in the living room, the same piece of furniture she discovered Orochimaru on the previous evening, and fell asleep before her head even touched the material.

It was about five when she finally woke up, and not only did she feel refreshed and energized, she felt good. She replayed the events of the night she had with Orochimaru and a grin spread across her features, a grin no one had seen since the day Sasuke left. She was happy. She was truly happy with what happened. No regrets.

She called up Ino, Ten Ten, and Hinata, went out to get something to eat with them, did a little shopping, and then went to the club later that night where Sakura and Ino competed to see who could get the most attention by dancing with another dancing member, a male, of course. Ten Ten and Hinata stood off at the sides, watching their "little blossom" as she went from conservative the night before to wild that day.

She didn't get home till late but she still replaced the bed with new sheets and blankets, then changed into her outfit for the next day, slipping into bed and falling asleep. Her behavior continued like this for a few more days and became the gossip of the village shinobi.

Kakashi and Naruto were especially happy that she wasn't depressed any longer. That didn't last very long, however. After those few days were up, her behavior took an abrupt turn for the worse.

She stopped talking to people unless it was absolutely necessary. She kept to herself and found something to do whenever someone tried to talk to her about something other than work.

She had changed so quickly people assumed she was just going through one of her analytical cycles. Everyone knew Sakura was a logical person and was rationalizing what she'd done for her 18th birthday, if not allowing herself to go back to normal after breaking free of her usual routine for a few days.

The real reason why she had gone back to being her depressed and gloomy self was because she actually really thought about what she'd done. Yes, by doing what she'd done she would get Sasuke back, but she had also promised everything to him, saying she would wait forever. She was being selfish by doing something like that to hurry up his training process.

Also, who was to guarantee Sasuke would even come back after fighting Itachi? She remembered hearing or reading something about Itachi and Orochimaru where Orochimaru was actually afraid of Itachi. If Orochimaru is afraid of Itachi, what the hell was he supposed to teach Sasuke?

Then again, Sasuke deserved what she'd done for making her wait so long. Or, she could also say that she was more experienced now and could please him. Inner Sakura was quick to remind her that Sasuke was probably sleeping with other women and he could easily charm them into doing whatever he damn well wanted.

The worst part about that was it was most likely true.

Orochimaru did seem like the type of guy who would give Sasuke a whore or some girl who didn't want to do anything at all and act as if it were some present for doing well during training.

"He's never going to forgive me," she breathed, tears springing to her eyes and begging her to let them fall, just this once.

Sakura held the tears back, knowing she wouldn't cry over something like this, that she was completely over crying for Sasuke, but hastily swept her hands up and wiped the wetness away for fear of the truth. She knew she would cry regardless of how many times she tried to rationalize it.

If she knew this was going to be the result to that deal she made two years before, she would've told Orochimaru to fuck off. Sakura would've told him no, swiftly ended their unwanted meeting, and run home.

The problem then would've been she'd be thinking about saying yes since she knew he would come back to ask her again.

Sakura, throughout all of her pondering, had lost track of the time. It didn't help any that it was already dark and early in the evening when she came up, but because of the season, she could've sworn it was much later due to the shadowy color of the sky.

"So what exactly are you doing sleeping on a rooftop when it's this dark out?" a smooth baritone voice spoke passively into her ear.

Sakura's body tensed and she shot up, jade orbs flashing as her mind set to work to match the voice to a face, or rather in this case, a voice to a mask and a black eye. She exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding, relaxing a bit.

"Kakashi?" she asked softly, relaxing fully upon seeing the outline of his bush of silver hair bob up and down. "What are you doing here?"

She heard him chuckle before responding, taking note of his body's posture, crouched low as if ready to pounce. 'Come to think of it, he's got more pressure on his left leg. Is he injured?'

"It's a bit strange to find someone you know sleeping on the rooftop of another family's home," he replied, watching as Sakura checked his body for any injuries.

He had just arrived back from a mission and noticed her. He wasn't wounded badly, just scraped the back of his right thigh. Nothing a little hot water and soap from his shower and a bandage or two couldn't handle.

"I was reading," came her mechanic response.

Kakashi darted his eyes towards her hands and the shingles surrounding her. He couldn't detect any type of scroll nor did he discover any book in sight. When he sighted Sakura, he didn't see her with anything.

"Reading?" he replied, meeting her gaze, playing along with her. "In the dark?" he pressed.

Sakura turned away, looking at the dark street below her.

"No," she said softly, "before you arrived."

Kakashi thought and carefully chose his next words as Sakura remained silent, a sort of defensive air surrounding her. It made Kakashi try to comprehend why Sakura would feel the need to be on defense around him. After a minute or so of silence apart from the noises of the night animals, Kakashi resumed the conversation, if one would call it that.

"Are you feeling alright, Sakura?" he inquired, gaze piercing.

He noted how Sakura tensed upon hearing the question before she gave a forced reply.

"I'm perfectly fine, never been better, why?" she responded, fingers playing the hem of her shirt.

"You've been extremely distant this past month," Kakashi pressed, continuing to check for any signs that could give her away even more than she already was.

"And? I've been…busy…with work, and I've had some things to think about," she replied bitterly, sliding her eyes shut and tilting her head towards the side Kakashi wasn't occupying.

"Everyone's starting to worry about you," he explained.

'Starting…to?' she thought, eyes opening.

"I'm fine, alright!" she snapped, eyes blazing when they finally met up with his one black one.

"You know I'm here for you whenever you need someone to talk to, Sakura," he added softly, laying out the bait and hoping she would bite.

"Yeah, Kakashi, I know that. Thank you, but I must be going now. I have to work tomorrow and I still have errands to run before the night is over. Good night," she said, rising and disappearing in a poof of smoke, leaving Kakashi alone on the rooftop, his plan failed.

It was a few moments before she reappeared in her home in her kitchen doorway, and she took one step forward before her eyes took in everything before her. She seemed to be still for some time, not a thought running through her head, not a sound being made. She simply stared at the sight before her. Sakura took a few steps forward and came face to face with none other than the golden eyed, snakelike sannin Orochimaru.

In his hand was the orange book she knew she threw away the first official day she was 18. His small smirk, the one where his lips quirked up the slightest bit at the corners, was absolutely hated by her because his eyes conveyed solely smug and dominant emotions.

A frown settled in her features and she glared at him, watching as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Good evening, blossom. Welcome home," he spoke, never breaking eye contact as he slowly let the syllables form with his tongue.

Sakura inhaled, lifted a finger to point at him, and opened her mouth to speak but only managed to form an 'O' before finding her voice couldn't possibly say everything she wanted to say.

That and the fact that she didn't know what she would say since everything in her mind was a jumble of words and phrases that wouldn't make any sense if she spoke right then.

She closed her eyes first before closing her mouth, then, dropping her hand, she turned and began walking towards the fridge, knowing by habit where the handle was. Her eyes picked up a box on the counter, a pink and green cloth tied around it. After getting a good grip on the metal handle, she wondered if it was food in the medium sized container.

'If it is, could it be poisoned?' she queried, shaking her head after a few moments of thought. 'What reason would he have to poison me?' She opened the door in time with her eyes, letting them scan over the possible meal selection she had as the cold air escaped around her.

As she mentally conferred a suitable dinner she heard the rustling of paper and assumed Orochimaru had gone back to reading the book and was changing to a new page. She reached her hand in and grabbed a container of yogurt, deciding she would see how hungry she was after she ate something small. Her appetite suddenly wasn't as big as she'd thought it was.

"What are you doing here again?" she asked quietly, knowing her could hear her. "The deal we made was for one night, a month ago."

She was met with the rustling of another page as she read the yogurt flavor she'd picked. Strawberry. Her gaze returned to her other selection of yogurt. Cherry, cherry, peach, cherry, 'Damn, Ino needs to stop buying so much cherry!' She swapped the strawberry for a cherry.

"Did you come back just to torment me? To annoy me with your presence?"

There was more silence as Sakura tossed the yogurt onto the counter beside the fridge before moving to close the door. She didn't even make it to the handle when she suddenly found herself pinned to the top portion of the fridge. She gasped as she looked up at the golden eyes belonging to the man she wanted nothing more than to kill.

"What did I come back for?" he asked, grinning darkly. "Why, I came back for you."

Her eyes widened and she immediately found his lips pressing roughly against her own. His tongue pushed against her lips, opening them to begin wrestling with her tongue. Sakura's mind was protesting, danger alarms blaring wildly in her head. Her body, however, suddenly, somehow, felt alive as he easily pulled a positive response from her.

While he held both wrists in one hand, he slid his free hand down the valley of her breasts, pressing against the material of her shirt before reaching the button of her pants. He slid a long finger beneath the jeans, the tips touching the pink curls that led a trail to his current desire, and reveled in the hitch in her breath and the tightening of her stomach.

That small action sent shivers down her spine, the good kind, not the bad. She didn't understand why. She was supposed to be terrified of this man, loathing him, but she suddenly couldn't. She only saw him the day two years ago, that day one month ago, and yet he touched her and talked to her as if they'd had some sort of a meaningful relationship.

It was as if his touch back then at their first meeting had been absorbed into her body and somehow programmed her, without her knowledge, to respond positively to him. If he had somehow managed to do that then she was definitely screwed.

Well, at the rate this was going, she really would be, and she was afraid he might do it against the fridge, on the counter, against the wall, somewhere in her kitchen, where she _ate_.

However, she really couldn't deny the fact that his sinfully long tongue was stroking her own in such a way she honestly could've fooled anyone watching into thinking they were passionate lovers actually in a meaningful relationship, even herself. But she couldn't simply think of it that way because right now, the only things she could feel were the cold gusts coming from the fridge behind her, the warmth of Orochimaru's hard body against her own, and the soft throbbing she'd experienced for the first time on her 18th birthday between her legs.

She'd asked Ino some questions about how she and Shikamaru actually got started and how long it took until they were ready to have sex. Multiple descriptions only further confused the pink haired kunoichi. According to Ino, she shouldn't be getting aroused this quickly. She had figured something was wrong with her, or perhaps her body was looking forward to it and had been preparing in the hopes that he would come back.

That had to be the answer.

Orochimaru slid his free arm around Sakura's waist, making sure to keep the shirt she was wearing ridden up. His hand gripped her side, squeezing and pulling her tightly against his body. She moaned into his mouth and he pulled away so their lips were brushing, breaths mingling. She felt him smirk against her lips as her chest heaved from the kiss.

"That certainly didn't sound like I was tormenting you in the least," he whispered, hand letting her wrists go and noting how her eyes remained shut as her arms slid languidly to her sides as if savoring the feel of having them immobilized.

"Screw you, Orochimaru," she breathed, hand grasping the front of his shirt, yanking him towards her roughly before pressing her lips forward to meet his once again in a heated kiss, arms then winding around his neck and hands digging into his hair to bring his head closer to hers.

He leaned heavily on the hand that was holding her wrists only moments before, palm pressed flat against the freezer door. She wanted to gain the upper hand in this game? He'd give her something to strategize…

With foreheads touching, tongues delving into one another's mouths, they resumed their melding of mouths, small moans and soft sighs erupting from the kunoichi as she ignored the blaring alarm in the back of her head.

Without any warning at all, Sakura found herself sitting on the edge of her countertop, Orochimaru's long fingers gripping her thighs, thumbs and pointer fingers dangerously close to her center. A squeeze released a groan into his mouth and he noticed how hot her skin felt. He practically groaned himself upon imagining how amazing it would be to feel her tight hot walls take him deep inside of her once again. His awakening erection agreed impatiently.

Keeping himself in check, he moved closer to Sakura so their groins touched, the heat coming from Sakura doubling as he moved. Her legs shifted to pull him harder against her, tightening around him. A few quick tugs indicated she wanted his shirt off and briefly breaking their kiss, Orochimaru lifted his shirt from his body, depositing it onto the floor.

She ran her fingers over the revealed skin, tracing the ridges of muscle. Her fingers trailed up his chest, sliding over his collarbone. They came to rest behind his neck.

"These," he growled, running a finger under her jeans, "need to come off," he jerked on them for emphasis.

She nodded, eyes half-lidded, and brought her hands back down, fumbling with the button, quickly unzipping the zipper, and arching her back to lift her hips off of the counter, not missing Orochimaru's hiss of delight as she added extra pressure to his groin. The grin that took over her expression as she kicked off her pants made his eyes flash, his fingers diving down to take care of his own pants.

However, rather than pull them off, he simply let them hang there.

'No one ever said she shouldn't learn a little more about sex,' he thought.

Sure enough, when she went to grab her panties to remove them, he removed her hand and was met with her questioning glance.

"Something you've never tried before," he muttered into her ear, fingers tracing along her dampened sex, a gasp passing her lips as he stroked her clit through the cloth of her panties.

"Orochimaru!" she groaned, wrapping her arms around him and bucking her hips forward in response.

She felt hot, no, not just hot, she felt like she was boiling, her skin felt red and scorched, and she found that throbbing was more than persistent. It was damn near painful!

"Please!" she begged, hips squirming before she brought her legs to encircle his waist once again.

She heard him chuckle as she buried her head into the crook of his neck and sighed in partial relief as she felt his fingers move to the side of her underwear, running them down the side. She shifted her head so she could watch what he was doing.

She watched him slide the cloth off to the side before she suddenly felt another hand grip hers. She furrowed her brows but didn't move her head, merely shifting her hips at his stalling. She whimpered slightly with need but said nothing otherwise.

His eyes flashed in amusement.

He brought her hand down to the opening of his pants, molding her fingers around his erection and releasing her hand from his hold. She paused for a moment, mind wandering back to the first time she'd touched him like this, her mouth suddenly salivating as she remembered the taste of him. Bringing him completely from the cloth, she moved back on the counter to have space to line herself up with him.

He could feel her breaths on his shoulder and the warmth from her entrance at the head of his dick. He altered his position so he was directly touching her warmth and gave her thigh a little squeeze. She lifted her hips slightly and slowly began to push herself forward, fascinated by the way her body practically absorbed his length until he was inside of her, filling her, completely.

She gave one shuddering breath as she watched him pull out till just the tip was inside of her before sliding back in again. She clenched tightly around him, suddenly finding the experience more than she intended. She threw her head back, eyes shut, mouth open, and made a small screeching sound, only this sounded more like a moan.

She was suddenly more aware of everything as Orochimaru began a pace of slow but hard thrusts. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin and the itchy feel of the wall behind her.

'Wait, wall! When'd we-Oh God!'

She could tell just how fast her heart was beating and she swore she could just make out Orochimaru's heartbeat pounding in his chest at the same pace he was pounding into her, increasing in speed.

Strings of moans escaped her mouth, eyes still shut, head tossing from side to side. Her hands, shaking, reached out to grab Orochimaru's shoulders to hopefully help stop the burning feeling in her gut, the pain of her chest tightening as Orochimaru's thrusts continued to hit that sweet spot inside of her, to subdue some of the increasing amount of friction Orochimaru inflicted inside her with each plunge deep into her.

Before she could even remember to tell her mind to keep the moans as little as possible, screams and groans were flying from her mouth faster than her heartbeat. She suddenly heard Orochimaru's breathing at her ear, feel each word formed as he spoke just barely over the pleasured haze he'd put her in.

"It feels better this way, doesn't it? Can you feel how deep in I am?"

He gave a particularly hard thrust and she let out a high-pitched moan, desperate, it seemed. His palm grabbed her hip, the other snaking beneath her shirt and bra before closing over a breast and toying with the flesh by barely touching it and then gripping it almost painfully. The feeling of it all was starting to become too much for Sakura and new tears stung her eyes.

He was thrusting deep inside of her, his cock drenched with her juices as it delved into her with a wet noise. She could feel the hard subtle ridges rubbing against her overheated flesh. Her underwear was already beyond soaked and it clung to her thigh like a second skin while the rest of her fluids swirled down her thighs, splashing onto the floor.

"Sakura…look at me…Sakura…"

Sakura's head swung off to the side before her eyes opened halfway. Green eyes met gold and for some reason, the sight brought her experience to a whole new level. Matching eyes with him, having him look at her instead of hiding his head against her shoulder, that was amazing, and at that moment she was doing all she could to keep her eyes half open.

"Orochimaru!" she gasped, shutting her eyes at a deep thrust.

"Did I say you could stop looking?" he ground out, bringing the hand off her breast and dragging it down her side.

She opened her eyes once again and let out another series out moans and groans and screams matching the thrusts and plunges from Orochimaru. Tears began stinging, begging to be allowed to roll down her face as the burning intensity to reach her peak traveled in waves from between her legs, the flames spreading to touch all of her body, heating her skin up.

The feel moved to pull her limbs into the amazing feeling her torso was enjoying. Her fingers dug into Orochimaru's shoulder, nails bringing the faintest marks of blood to the surface. Her toes curled, ankles locking, legs pulling Orochimaru impossibly deeper into her than he already was.

She was getting desperate to find her release and her body began shaking when suddenly, Orochimaru shifted his hips, and not only did the friction increase, but his hand moving down her side allowed his calloused thumb to be placed directly over the small bundle of nerves between her legs.

He pressed down.

An especially high-pitched cry passed her lips and immediately unused to the pressure he applied, moving the appendage back and forth to make her burn even more with pleasure. She squirmed in a weak attempt to stop Orochimaru. Her head was pounding and she could hear her heartbeat pulse so loudly she felt as if she were sitting underneath a waterfall.

The tears finally came out and were released faster than she expected as she abandoned looking at Orochimaru's eyes, finding her mind couldn't concentrate any longer. The only thing it could concentrate on was what she wanted, what she needed.

"Oh GOD!-Oro! O-Oro! Oh God! Pl-please Oro! Ah!"

Orochimaru got a better grip on her hip with his free hand and prevented her struggles, forcing her to handle the effects of his touch. He leaned forward, thrusting so hard Sakura was actually in as much pain as bliss, and growled into her ear the words that reduced her to begging.

"Tell me what you want, Sakura. Go ahead, tell me."

She cried out again when he pulled his finger away and shook her head, embarrassed by what she was being asked to say. She had enough sense not to specify, at least.

"Please, Orochimaru! PLEASE!"

He would know! He wouldn't ask if he didn't already know!

And then, out of nowhere, he stopped moving completely. 'What? NO!' He rubbed his cheek against hers.

"What do you want, blossom? I can't keep going unless you tell me…"

She groaned and dug her nails deeper into his shoulders.

"Just make it happen, Orochimaru! Fuck, please!" she begged.

"Such language!" he chuckled.

However, it was enough for Orochimaru because he picked up on his series of harsh thrusts, applying a heavier pressure on the small nub, and the combined actions left her thrashing in his arms. He knew exactly when she came, a loud scream coming from her mouth as her body clenched and convulsed around him. He came moments later after a few jerky thrusts.

Sakura's head fell forward and her entire body relaxed as the last remnants of her orgasm disappeared. Chest heaving she rested her damp forehead on Orochimaru's shoulder, feeling the heaving of his chest, also. Her walls spasmed deliciously around his cock and he didn't want to pull out of her just yet. She didn't want him to pull out just yet, either.

She was enjoying this too much, him inside of her, recovering from an orgasm better than all the ones combined from that first night, and she most definitely was not moving for any-

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Sakura and Orochimaru froze in their tracks, her eyes wide open and looking towards the living room and hallway. Slowly they pulled their faces apart and Sakura whispered softly.

"Maybe if we stay silent whoever it is will go away," she suggested.

After another few silent moments the knocking began again and Sakura groaned. She was definitely going to kill whoever stood on the other side of the door if she ever made it to the door. Orochimaru wasn't moving and was actually giving a death-glare in the general direction of the door. Panting slightly she pushed herself away and let her legs withdraw from around his waist, pulling him out of her with a wet noise.

Slowly pushing Orochimaru away and giving him a look that he understood, preparing to transform into someone else until the unwanted interruption went away, he released her, helping to steady her as the feeling was forced back into her legs. He sighed inwardly as he thought about how fun it would've been to kill whoever it was but knew he couldn't without someone noticing.

Sakura breathed in deeply and gathered her pants, sliding them on as she leaned against the wall for support. The knocking resumed and she swore under her breath.

Running fingers through her hair in an attempt to straighten it, she shouted, "I'll be there in a minute!"

Scanning the kitchen she found Orochimaru was nowhere in sight. With a sigh, she paced over to the door, occasionally stumbling as she tried to move.

"Coming!" she called, halfway down the hall.

She reached the door in a matter of seconds and unlocked it, opening it to peer at her visitor. Her skin paled and her eyes widened upon seeing who was at her door. Her mouth dropped open and she looked dumbfounded for a few moments before her eyes narrowed into a glare and she thought about slamming the door in his face.

"Ah! My beautiful stunning blossom!" he cried, lips stretching into a lopsided smile.

Sakura flinched upon hearing him call her blossom. For some reason she thought Jiraiya had no right at all to call her that.

'That's a name specifically assigned to Orochimaru!' Inner Sakura screeched, Sakura cringing once she processed that thought. Speaking of whom, 'what did he do? Wouldn't Jiraiya have noticed him yet?' Sakura pondered, looking up at the ero-sannin.

"Don't give me that crap, Jiraiya. What is it that you want?" she snapped, a fist forming courtesy of Inner Sakura.

He had interrupted something brilliant and right now she wanted nothing more than to castrate the old pervert for existing.

"Oh my! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Or is it someone woke up on the wrong person in bed? Hm?" he inquired.

"Actually," a voice said from the living room, "we were just in the process of getting out of bed when you interrupted us. Make your point or leave."

Sakura jumped slightly when she felt an arm slide around her waist, pulling her back into a hard muscled chest. She looked at Jiraiya who seemed to be sizing up the new mysterious male.

"Better yet, why don't you just leave and come back tomorrow afternoon?" she ground out.

"I've never seen him around here before," he said suspiciously. "Who is he? Your boyfriend?"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off.

"My name is Ryo Takahashi. I do believe we're a little old to be using the terms of boyfriend and girlfriend. I believe 'lovers' is a more appropriate term," he explained coldly, glaring at the older man before him.

"Right," he grumbled, "Ya'know, you look fairly familiar. Have we met before?" he asked, reaching a hand into his shirt before pulling an orange book out and holding it out towards Sakura.

'Ryo' narrowed his eyes at Jiraiya and coldly stated, "No. I'm sure one of us wouldn't be here right now if I had."

Malice laced his words and Jiraiya felt a twinge of intimidation from the new man. Sakura caught on quickly and lightly elbowed him. Although she would love for him to kill Jiraiya right now, she wasn't in the mood to even do that much.

"Be nice!" she growled, turning her head to the side to try and look at him but finding she still couldn't see him.

Jiraiya cleared his throat, straightened his shirt, and began speaking, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm leaving Konoha right now to go to Waterfall. Business has been good there. Just give this to Kakashi for me, would ya?" he asked politely.

Sakura sighed, frustrated, and snatched the book away from Jiraiya, then yelled, "THIS is what you disrupted us for! Why the hell couldn't you give it to him directly?"

Jiraiya jumped back as if burned and scratched his head.

"I decided to see my lovely blossom before I left!" he defended.

"Did it ever occur to you that I have my own life and that I very well might be exploring more into it right now!" she snapped, the arm around her waist tightening.

"Er, well, I-" Jiraiya stuttered, searching for an answer.

"Exactly! You're such an inconsiderate old pervert with nothing better to do than write those nasty books. AND I still haven't properly thanked you for the birthday present!"

"Thank you so much, blossom," he added before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

A bare muscled arm shot out from behind Sakura, slamming the door shut. She moved to the door, his arm falling from her waist, chest heaving. She locked the door before turning around to face 'Ryo' and was shocked at what she witnessed.

Orochimaru, or rather, Ryo, was standing before her in the body of a twenty year old navy haired shinobi. Light blue eyes were nearly hidden by his long bangs. Hanging around his neck was a thin tarnished chain with what seemed to be three snakes, one green, one white, the other black, writhing in a pile on a silver circle.

That, however, wasn't what caught her attention. What she noticed was the fact that he wasn't wearing anything except for a towel that hung loosely around his hips, the knot looking just about ready to undo. Granted, she'd already seen him naked before, 'And felt him!' Inner Sakura chanted, but this body wasn't his real one.

'And you know you want to feel him again!' Inner Sakura chirped. 'Is he going to be naked when he changes back?' she thought, closing her mouth which she just realized was open.

No later than she thought that a cloud of smoke indicated Orochimaru changing back to his original form. As the grey cleared, Sakura was able to determine that he was in fact back in his black shirt and pants, long black hair flowing around his shoulders, and his golden eyes pierced directly into her jade ones.

She looked slightly disappointed. 'Well, that answers my question but…why'd he have to put the shirt back on?'

The sudden rumbling of her stomach brought her from her thoughts and a blush spread across her cheeks. Orochimaru chuckled before leaning forward and wrapping long fingers around her wrist, tugging her to him. She moved forward and he pulled her into the kitchen.

She groaned as she realized what she'd left just to answer the stupid door.

"You knew he was coming, didn't you?" Sakura asked, raising a brow as Orochimaru pulled a chair out for her.

'When did he become such a gentleman!' Inner Sakura fumed.

"Perhaps," he replied with a smirk, already knowing the response he was going to receive from his one word answer.

"You knew and you didn't stop! What if he had decided to check the windows or suddenly appear! Did you stop to think of that for one second!" she scolded, thoughts racing through her head as she figured how many different ways she would be punished and how many different ways the situation could go.

"Well I'm pretty sure if I had stopped you'd have killed me anyway."

'Shit…' Sakura thought.

'He's got a point…' Inner Sakura finished.

"You need some more energy. We're not finished, yet."

Orochimaru was busy doing something at the counter. Whatever he was doing it was obstructing her view. However, the view of his back wasn't all that unpleasant…

She heard the rustling of the soft fabric around the box and heard a small snap before noticing Orochimaru setting two sticks—'Chopsticks! So it is food!'—aside.

He turned around, grabbing the chopsticks in one hand, the one that wasn't holding the box of food which she could now see clearly, and walked it all back over to the table where he set it down in front of Sakura who eyed it wearily.

He grabbed one of her hands and placed the chopsticks in it, bending to her ear to lick the back of it.

"It's not poisoned, Sakura. Besides, you haven't eaten all day," he spoke, grinning as he saw her blush.

"What do you mean? I ate today!" she defended weakly.

"A slice of an apple doesn't count," he said, nudging her hand.

Sakura stared at it some more before realizing what he said.

"You've been spying on me!" Sakura exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.

Orochimaru smirked, shrugged, and pulled out the chair on the end of the table next to her. He casually flipped another page of the orange book he'd left on the table.

'Wait! When'd that get back in his hands!'

"Blossom, spying sounds so..." he sighed, "traitorous."

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she folded her arms across her chest.

"Traitorous? Have you forgotten you are a traitor? Have you already forgotten that Tsunade is the Fifth Hokage because you killed the Third? Did you forget that you also made Sasuke a traitor as well? Probably not considering that you're a self-centered, egotistical, narcissistic, pompous, bastard, anyway…" she stated furiously.

Orochimaru laughed deeply, shaking his head.

"Oh, come now Blossom, you always thought he was an unimportant old geezer, anyway. You do realize you just called me basically the same thing with all those words, right? Or do you just like hearing yourself talk? And besides, it's history. This is now. Kabuto made that specially for you, so at least taste it," Orochimaru explained, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table.

"Here," he said, moving his hand and grabbing the chopsticks from Sakura, "try this," he said softly, arranging the utensils correctly in his hand and dipping them into the box, pulling out a small wavy orange bit of food that was wrapped in a dried green ingredient.

He cupped a hand underneath it in the event that it might drop, and brought it to Sakura's closed lips. He knew how stupid and annoying this was but he figured something like this would help even more. He knew he had her sexually and physically but mentally was the most important to his plans.

Sakura frowned, looking up at him. Her expression was enough of an explanation to him that she had no idea why in the world he was doing something like that. He sighed and raised a brow.

"Well? Are you going to try it or not?" he pressed, moving the food in his hand from side to side slightly.

Sakura exhaled through her nose, looked down at the food, then up at Orochimaru, before finally opening her mouth and moving it forward, wrapping her lips around the chopsticks and sliding them down, pulling on the food. She bit down and heard the crunch it made, felt the slightly spicy kick.

A small smile developed and she looked down, embarrassed.

"See? That wasn't too hard, now was it?" he taunted, picking another item to try.

This went on for some time, Orochimaru giving each different item to Sakura, explaining them after she tried them. He came upon one that he'd never tasted before, though.

"Yes, but you can try it out. I'm assuming it's good. The rest of it is," he explained.

"Wait, can I let you try it first?" Sakura interrupted, looking hopefully towards the chopsticks.

She hastily grabbed them from his hand once he nodded, grinning as she found a chance to do something. She brought her hand underneath it, cupping it to catch anything that fell, and moved it towards his mouth.

His mouth opened and Sakura blushed, pushing the food in and depositing it onto his tongue. She pulled the chopsticks out and watched him close his lips and work his mouth to chew. Once he was finished, he swallowed and then stood, grabbing the box and placing the chopsticks into it. He tossed the box behind him and onto the counter where it was when Sakura walked into the kitchen.

"Now then, I do believe we were interrupted," he said expectantly, holding out his hand for her to grab.

"But we finished, I thought," she said.

Her eyes glazed over at the thought of connecting with him in such a way once again. She felt some sort of click when they first had sex, but nothing like love or commitment. It felt like their bodies fit together in a way she never would've imagined.

She mentally scoffed. They were actually more similar than appearances showed. Both were extremely intelligent figures, each with their own stubborn determination. Both were persuasive and had a sort of alluring trait that made people flock to them, their own reasons differing for each. People felt they could also trust them, once again, their reasons altering.

Sakura brought her hand up, laying it into his outstretched one. His fingers closed around it and she stood, but he pulled her flush against him, arm securing itself around her waist. She moved her hands to rest on his chest, looking intently at his face, questioning him silently. For example, 'Why the HELL are we still in the kitchen?'

"I figured you'd enjoy something new. A bed can be…somewhat restricting…" he explained, grin growing, "and I figured it was much too early to introduce you to the…darker…side of sex, so to speak. The wall will eventually begin to effect your back, nothing too serious, though."

Her face flushed upon thinking of examples of what he meant, burying her face into his chest between her hands. 'I didn't need to hear that! I did NOT need to hear that!' She groaned and shook her head slightly, much to his amusement.

Bending his head down to her ear, he said, "Personally, I believe you would love to take a walk on that side," pausing, he lifted her head to gaze into her eyes, "You'd enjoy it tremendously," he said half teasingly, half seriously.

She felt the throbbing once again and mentally scolded herself. How was it possible to feel this aroused once again so soon after?

'If this keeps up I'm going to turn into a nymphomaniac!'

"Yeah right! Keep dreaming!" she said with a frown, thought Orochimaru could clearly see she was thinking about it, considering the idea in her mind.

Her eyes gave too much away. They'd have to work on that as well. He couldn't have her lie horribly, or even lie well, and have her destroy everything because of her eyes giving it all away. 'Honestly, she's an open book. It makes this plan simpler yet more complicated…'

"I have no need to. It'll happen eventually. If not by me, then perhaps by Sasuke. He's gotten much more interesting since you last saw him," he said, watching as her eyes widened.

"Sasuke!" she cried, disbelief underlying the name of her love.

"Yes, much darker, too. The more he thinks about Itachi, the more power-hungry he becomes. I can't do anything about it, but you should know he's considering the girl he'd like to restore his clan. You've got the highest chance, you know," he explained, a hand coming to cup her face.

Sakura didn't know what to feel at that particular moment. Her lips fell into a frown as she glanced cautiously at Orochimaru. She should be happy he was considering her, but merely because he needed someone to restore his clan?

'No, no, he has to love me! I'm only doing this because our love will turn out in the end! It will! It has to!'

'If you're doing it purely for love, you'd have kicked Orochimaru's sorry ass out the second you saw him tonight, and you KNOW it!'

'No! I wouldn't have! The more it happens the better my chances are of getting Sasuke back!'

'Yes,' Inner Sakura agreed, 'but the more you have sex with Orochimaru, the more Sasuke will come to believe you're nothing more than a whore.'

But suddenly she couldn't believe that. Suddenly, the complete and total seriousness of the situation she was in hit her. It really hit her, hard. What she was doing, what she had done, was a kick into reality. Sasuke had never loved her. He had never cared about her. All those times he had saved her he hadn't been saving her, the individual, he had been saving himself, Naruto, and Kakashi with herself, the team.

She'd given up her virginity to the man she suddenly found she couldn't hate any more. She didn't know what exactly she felt, but every bit of loathing towards the man whose arms she was in disappeared.

"N-no. He wouldn't just-and then pretend-he can't d-do th-that!" she cried, her voice cracking as she tried to force more words out.

He watched as tears rose to line the bottoms of her eyes and she shook her head. He was exerting as much control as he had not to show any signs of his victory, though a grin was itching at his lips, begging to let him curve his lips upward at her misery. He kept himself in check though, lips in a thin line.

"Yes, Sakura, it's true."

Those words broke whatever restraint she had on her voice and although she tried to stifle her sob, it managed to stray from her lips. Orochimaru moved the hand cupping her cheek to cradle the back of her head, pushing it down to rest on his shoulder. His fingers ran over her hair as she gripped his shirt, clenching the material as if it could somehow bring Sasuke back to her or transport her back to when Itachi murdered his clan.

Without any warning at all Sakura pushed herself away from Orochimaru. This allowed Orochimaru to see she hadn't shed any tears but was using so much restraint it rivaled his own urge to grin. She was shaking her head.

"Why would you go and tell me something like that?" she started, backing away to pace in the doorway of the kitchen. "Why would you tell me he doesn't love me and expect me to just believe it like that?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her hands into fists.

"He loves me just like I love him and when he kills Itachi he'll come back, propose to me, and tell me he loves me, and we'll restore his clan and live long together. He's going to be the strongest shinobi in the world and I'll completely surpass Tsunade one day! We'll be the perfect match!"

Her voice cracked once again but not as noticeably. Orochimaru stood in the same spot, watching and taking mental notes of the kunoichi's mental breakdown process. He actually thought she was faking it briefly. He knew she was very strong willed but he never expected her to lose it this quickly.

'It _has_ been over two years since he left, however, and then add that to the fact that she feels she's betrayed him and helped him at the same time for about a month now, plus her tendency to overanalyze everything. Perhaps she really is breaking,' he contemplated.

He wasn't really paying much attention to what she was saying anymore because her words were mumbled and incoherent. He thought he heard something about naming one of their sons after Obito, but he wasn't sure. He did, however, notice her legs shaking with the rest of her body, and appeared beneath her to catch her just as she fell.

She still hadn't cried yet. That irked him for some reason opposite to the fact that he wanted her to cry. He gathered her into his arms and got to his feet.

"You need to get to sleep, Sakura, so let's get you to bed," Orochimaru spoke evenly, walking her to her bedroom, not bothering to put the light on for he knew her room easily from his first arrival there.

He began pulling off her shoes on the way and dropping them in front of her dresser.

Clutching her to him with one arm, he used his free hand to draw the sheets back from her bed before setting her down and fixing her legs beneath the colored cloth. He pulled the sheets up to her shoulders and watched as her eyelids slid shut.

Her eyes showed a terror he had only seen in his victims that he used for experiments. He pondered upon the fact that her love for Sasuke had gone much deeper than even he thought for his words to make her that scared. Silently he began to walk to the door, comparing his victories and his losses of that evening.

She felt extremely vulnerable at that moment, knowing she was going to be alone. She had no idea what she might do in her current state of mind but she felt terrified at where her thoughts were taking her. She didn't want to be alone. She couldn't handle being by herself at a time like this. She didn't want him to go.

"Oro…chimaru?" she called out, watching his form stop in the doorway, head turning towards her.

"Yes?" he replied, golden eyes less intense than they were previously.

"Will you…stay with me…just for tonight? Please?" she questioned softly, already expecting him to say no.

He stood silently for a few moments before nodding. Slowly he pulled off his shirt and deposited it onto the floor, padding over to the bed and lifting the covers. Sakura moved away a bit to make room for him but after he slid under the covers, he pulled her against him, turning onto his back.

She rested her head against his chest and snuggled into him. He tightened his arms around her and gave a kiss to the top of her head. She sighed slightly and curled her right leg over his legs, moving up so her head rested in the crook of his neck.

Orochimaru stroked her back and side, listening to the sound of her breaths slow. She sighed contentedly as his warmth managed to seep into her body through her shirt.

"Thank you," she whispered, laying a small kiss on his collarbone.

A smirk formed on his lips but he said nothing. She began to slide into sleep after that but one thought was irking her tremendously. She should've realized it two years ago but she didn't. She should've noticed it that night but she didn't. She only suddenly understood what was wrong as she lay in his arms, feelings of security and belonging swarming her senses. It was something she couldn't understand the possibility of forgetting when something so tragic happened.

His arms were fixed.

* * *

"They say blondes are stupid, and that works perfectly for Tsunade. Perhaps her pink hair indicated her falling blindly in love and assuming fantasies of equal feelings will come true. If I had known how she breaks down I would've looked forward to the meeting much more than I had," Orochimaru explained.

"So she did have a mental breakdown?" Kabuto asked, moving his feet apart.

Orochimaru shook his head.

"No, I'm disappointed to say she didn't have a complete breakdown."

Kabuto appeared to be confused.

"What do you mean?"

Orochimaru sighed and rested his head on a closed fist.

"I mean she didn't cry. I still don't understand whether I should be glad she's a challenge or disappointed because it was a failed attempt," he explained.

"I see. That is a tough decision to make," Kabuto agreed.

"However, I've discovered something about her feelings towards me."

Kabuto felt his chest tighten. "Feelings?" he questioned slowly.

"Yes. Apparently she finds me comforting and safe. That makes up for the failure of her mental breakdown and also makes this plan much easier to run," he explained with a malicious smirk.

"That could practically complete every step of your plan except the last one!" he said joyously. "This is wonderful, right?"

Orochimaru nodded. "Yes, it's perfect, but I'm only slightly worried about asking her to help us. It presents a serious problem."

"How so?"

"She's still loyal to Konoha."

"That's definitely going to be a problem."

Orochimaru began to chuckle lowly, darkly, and the room was filled with something that actually made Kabuto take a step back from Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru?" Kabuto questioned.

"Oh, she won't have a choice after this next meeting. I've set up a few surprises that are going to blow their minds away."

"Really? What are you planning?"

"She's going to need an excuse to leave and I've set up an-"

"Master Orochimaru! Master Sasuke is having another attack!"

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! **

Till next time!

Backlash Symphony


	4. It's About Time I Loved You

**EDITED 6/27/12**

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: It's About Time I Loved You

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Shake It Off" by Mariah Carey

"Finest Hour" by Duran Duran

"Taste the Summer" by Duran Duran

"Bad Day" by Daniel Powter

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Shake It Off" by Mariah Carey, "Finest Hour" by Duran Duran, "Taste the Summer" by Duran Duran, "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. And Gaara! Did I mention Gaara/Sakura is a new favorite? Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

_Flashback_

/Written/

…

Timeframe: The Morning After Sakura's Breakdown

There was warmth under her and around her. Heat from something entered her system, making her feel oddly safe. There was a scent that filled her nostrils that she recognized. Her brain simply wasn't clicking this morning.

'Wait…morning? When'd I go to…?'

The pink haired kunoichi opened her eyes into slits, surveying the few inches in front of her with no real reason apart from getting used to the light that was streaming into her room, forming patterns on her floor, as it slid through the window near her bed.

Opening her eyes a little more, slowly adjusting to the changes the light made, she slid her hand towards herself when she realized not only did the sheets have a cool yet hot feel but that they were moving up and down at a very slow pace.

Sakura froze, mind reeling as she pulled all of her observations together. Body. That's what it was. And as her memories of the previous evening replayed in her mind, she matched the body to Orochimaru.

'He actually stayed?'

'Of course he actually stayed!' Inner Sakura announced. 'You asked him to!'

Sakura breathed in, pulling in his scent as she attempted to clear her head but only managing to make her more confused. She was on top of him and under him? She shifted her head, pulling it off of him, with a glance down noticing it was his chest, and looked at the weight settled around her waist and hip.

"Hand," she whispered.

With an inward sigh she moved her gaze to the sunlit nightstand to find that it was 11:43. Her brain managed to process that thought, however, and she realized that she had plans in the afternoon but couldn't for the life of her actually specify what.

She knew she did, though.

She needed to get up and shower but was afraid to wake up Orochimaru.

'Hell, I didn't even think it was possible for him to sleep in this late. He doesn't seem like that type of person…'

'You also thought he wasn't the type of person to wear boxers,' Inner Sakura announced with a yawn.

Regardless, she did need to get up and bathe, and preferably sooner than later. Her only problem was getting out from Orochimaru's hold with_out_ waking him up, a feat that was easier said than done. Orochimaru was a shinobi, yes, but he was also a sannin and would most likely wake up if he felt threatened or was touched or felt too much movement.

'Well you don't know how he'll react until you get his arm off!' Inner Sakura chirped.

Sakura sighed softly and, with trembling fingers, reached towards his hand that was resting on her hip and gently wrapped her fingers around his. When he didn't move she slowly lifted his hand from her side and set it down directly behind her. She tensed when she saw his chest puff up with a deeper breath but let out a relieved sigh when he gave a small cough and his breathing returned to its slow pace.

The part of getting her body free from his grip was finished. Now to get her body off of the bed without waking him up was part two to this challenge. She knew her leg was already across his and one of her hands was on his stomach. If she could stretch her leg she could get it onto the floor and use the hand to keep herself steady on the edge of the bed.

'Hell, it's worth a try.'

Shifting her hips she slowly lifted her leg up and slid it down the side of the bed, moving her hand to steady herself by his side. She carefully lifted her body up and inwardly sighed as her foot touched the ground. Her other leg was bent up towards her body and her other arm was yet to be placed. She was stuck hovering above Orochimaru and only really noticed his face.

Most people would say the expression one wears when asleep is peaceful if they have one, or blank if they don't. Orochimaru, she had assumed, was one with a blank expression but the one he wore completely overruled that assumption. It was a look that crossed between one of pain and one of discomfort.

She had no idea what she was doing until after she'd already brushed some of his hair from his face with her free hand. The moment she realized what she'd done she drew her hand back to herself as if his skin burned her. She shook her head and managed to slide the rest of her body over Orochimaru and off the bed.

Rolling her eyes she walked around the bed and towards her bathroom. Her eyes fell upon the choker that was purchased for her by Kakashi, Naruto, and Genma sitting on the sink counter. She hadn't worn it or moved it since Orochimaru took it off of her that night.

'They must think I threw it out or something since I haven't even shown it off in public.'

She turned and walked over to her bathtub, turning the knobs on the wall to start the shower on the other end of the tub. Steam was quick to fill the room and she cast one last glance towards the jewelry before stripping and dropping her clothes onto the floor. She quickly made sure the door was closed before she entered the tub to stand under the hot spray of water.

She held back a hiss at the extreme heat but forced herself to adjust like she did every morning. She simply stood there for a few moments, allowing the water to thoroughly soak her hair and coat her now pink body before reaching for her shampoo. She opened the bottle and poured a large amount into her hand, snapping it shut afterwards with a snap.

She stepped out of the spray and worked the substance into her hair, forming a lather and making sure to reach the lowest parts of her hair. As she stepped back under the water to wash the foam from her hair, she felt something in her lower stomach _moving_. Her body froze and she waited for it to happen again but wasted minutes on what she now viewed as a lost cause. She shook her head and quickly washed her body so she could get out of the shower and get dressed only to feel a spike of pleasure move up her spine.

She cried out in surprise, the soap dropping from her fingers as she suddenly lurched forward, leaning against the wall. Her chest was heaving for some unknown reason and her vision went white for a fraction of a second.

Then nothing.

She didn't trust herself to move and so she stood there, leaning against the cold tile wall beneath the spray nozzle, and shakily turned the knobs so no water came out above her. Her breathing had calmed but her chest felt tight. She stood for what felt like hours, her mind trying to comprehend what the hell just happened.

"What the _fuck_ was that?" she cried, eyes wide in terror.

Her eyes darted in a paranoid fashion around the corner of her tub she was hiding in. Something in her mind suggested that it only happened in the shower and that it might be a good idea to get out. She nodded at her reasoning and wrung out her hair before stepping out from the shower.

Her legs wobbled as she practically ran for her towel, drying off partially by dabbing the cloth at her wet skin. Her hand shot out to grab the silk robe and she had just barely secured it around herself when she arrived into her room only to find the bed had been made and a small envelope was sitting on her nightstand.

So where was Orochimaru?

The smell of something cooking led her to the conclusion that he was in the kitchen, or at least _some_one was in the kitchen. Her kitchen. The one she and Orochimaru had sex in. Against a wall.

'So what the hell was that _thing_!'

Sakura grasped her robe tightly to herself, suddenly feeling insecure about herself, and stormed through the living room, reappearing into the kitchen where she saw Orochimaru at her stove…

"What the fuck is wrong with me today?" she whispered, eyes wide.

She heard a deep chuckle from the figure near the far window and she shook her head. She suddenly felt weak and collapsed heavily on the wall. A small cry escaped her lips as she felt…_it_…moving again and grasped her stomach with one hand.

"Would you mind explaining what the fuck is wrong with me!" she said in a mostly angry and somewhat fearful voice.

Orochimaru stopped whatever he was doing and she heard something scrape before something warm was pressing against her. More importantly, something warm was pressing against her lips. Before she could move in protest the warmth was gone and she glared at the man before her.

"What was that for?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

Orochimaru let his eyes roam slowly over her, stopping at her stomach where her hand was. He reached out a hand and held onto hers, moving his fingers around hers only to still end up stroking her stomach softly through the robe. He heard her whimper softly and simply held her hand.

"Now what am I being blamed for? Your stomach?" he questioned in a surprisingly serious tone.

"There's something _moving_ inside of me, Orochimaru, and unless Jiraiya managed to put me to sleep in a few seconds, implant something into me, and wake me up without even remembering falling asleep, you're the only person I can think of," she spoke softly with a slight tone of anger, biting her lip suddenly.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" he questioned, face coming closer to hers.

"…Not…quite…" she replied vaguely.

Orochimaru smirked and leaned closer, their lips just barely apart.

"Not quite? So does that mean it feels good?"

He moved her hand to the side and watched her eyes drift shut.

"It just…"

"It just _what_?" he breathed.

She felt compelled to tell him but suddenly felt as if she were some sort of experiment of his that he was taking notes on for her first dose of whatever he had concocted.

'He didn't deny it!' Inner Sakura screamed.

"There's something moving…then nothing…and then it's a rush of pleasure…and then nothing again…I'm just weak…I _feel_ so weak…"

Orochimaru grinned and chuckled before responding.

"I have just the solution for that, blossom," he whispered before he pressed his lips against hers.

She made a protest but he merely deepened the kiss. His mouth moved expertly against her own and she found she couldn't fight him anymore. The second she gave in, he pulled his mouth away from hers.

"How does it feel now?" he questioned.

Sakura was about to start yelling at him but dismissed all thoughts when she felt the strength return to her limbs, her stomach throbbing before all feeling completely disappearing.

She looked down and a confused expression ruled her features.

"What…? Why did that work?" she questioned, tilting her head up to face him.

"I'm magical," he replied with a wicked smirk that immediately brought her back into their reality.

She made to swat at him but he easily caught her hand and hoisted her up with himself. His lips met hers again in a chaste kiss before he let her go and moved back to the stove. She stood there staring and wondering why the hell she felt normal again.

'Oh, yeah, he _definitely_ had something to do with whatever happened.'

'Something? How 'bout _EVERYTHING_! I say we kick his ass!' Inner Sakura raged.

"Oh, yeah, go ahead and try to kick his ass and we're more than dead, real smart," she bit out.

"You're aware you're talking to yourself, aren't you?" he asked, another scraping sound coming from whatever he was doing.

"Shut up! What did you do to me, Orochimaru?" she growled, stalking towards him so she was next to him yet still behind him.

"Nothing harmful, just thought I'd give you a surprise," he spoke, flipping what she now saw as an omelet.

"Oh, it was a surprise, alright! I thought I had a _creature_ inside of me! Thank you! Now that I finally have _that_ checked off of my list of things to do before I die," she growled sarcastically, "what the hell did you actually do?"

He chuckled at her remark and shrugged, moving to extinguish the flame under the pan.

"Oh, you'll find out eventually. It doesn't hurt you and it's completely natural considering you're with me. Anyone else and you'll never get the same effect," he explained.

Sakura was beyond confused. Hurting and natural? With him? Other people? What effect? Better yet, what did he _do_!

"Effect? With you? Could you possibly be any more vague?" she groaned.

He didn't respond and she reached out for his arm. She roughly grabbed it and turned him to face her.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" she yelled.

She was freaked and he had answers.

_"__Sasuke!"_

"God, why does _everything_ have to be a goddamn riddle with you! Would it kill you to give me a straight answer for once!"

She was hysterical at this point.

"_No! Please don't go!"_

"It's a simple question and all I want is a simple answer!"

She was begging him.

_"__I love you!"_

She felt a hand hold her head and tilt it up to match two golden eyes. A thumb brushed over her cheek. Those eyes…they held…such _power_…

"If you didn't want me here you'd have told me every time to leave. If you didn't want me here you wouldn't be getting pissed off at Jiraiya for interrupting. You never would've let that night repeat like it has," he spoke somewhat smugly though just barely, before bringing his lips to her ear. "You wouldn't have asked me to spend the night."

She didn't respond and he knew.

'He's won…he knows it…'

He was completely right. If she didn't want him there she would've told him to get lost since they'd already finished their deal. She hated when she was wrong. She really did.

_"__Thank you__."_

But this time she wasn't going to accept it. She refused to let him think he'd won. This was his sick game and she absolutely refused to let him win.

"No."

_"__Thank you__."_

Orochimaru pulled back from her.

"No?"

She shook her head and straightened her back.

_"__Thank you__."_

"I'm doing this for Sasuke. You're the only person I feel safe enough and comfortable enough with to do something like this over and over. I _will _see Sasuke again. We _will_spend the rest of our lives together. I _will_stay strong for him. I love him and I will do _anything_ to get him back. He belongs _with_ _me_! Do you understand that?"

Sakura's eyes were completely honest and her tone didn't waver in the slightest. She meant every word. _Not good!_

She pulled away from him and turned her back on the tall man, walking back towards her bedroom.

"Now get out of my house," she shouted into the kitchen.

Orochimaru breathed in to keep his anger in check. He was _definitely_ wrong about Sakura. She was more stubborn than he thought. The look he received from her, the look of a shattered mentality, broken heart, a lost girl with no motivation left, those few brief moments, he had her. She wasn't supposed to stay this strong!

He calmed himself by conjuring an image of torturing the Uchiha that was the cause of all of his problems but the helpful point to all of his plans concerning Sakura. It was just when he was pinning the brat to the wall with a poison tipped kunai did he realize what Sakura had said.

_"You're the only person I feel safe enough and comfortable enough with to do something like this over and over."_

He smirked and headed out of the kitchen and towards her room. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

"The envelope has directions to get to our next meeting place. I think it's time I actually got you out instead of keeping you in. There's also something else from me. Your choice on whether you go or stay here," he spoke through the closed door.

He didn't receive a response but he knew she heard him. With a quick, "See you then," he disappeared with a puff of smoke.

Sakura stood with her back pressed against the wall, fingernails digging deeply into her palms. She was shaking with anger and partial terror as the adrenaline rush died down. Had she really just done that? Orochimaru could've killed her in a second and she just went on a full out rampage?

'Not full-out! If it was full-out he'd know about pain!' Inner Sakura announced.

'Shit, we didn't even get a chance to bring up his hands…'

'No matter. Just get dressed so we can go meet Ino and get her updated.'

Sakura growled and trudged angrily towards her closet to pick out an outfit for her afternoon with Ino. Her mind was buzzing with questions and insults directed towards Orochimaru, Sasuke, even herself. She picked out something simple from the civilian side of her wardrobe.

Being a kunoichi on this particular day wouldn't exactly be safe due to the current mood she was in. She didn't trust herself right now with kunai knives and shuriken. She gave a small smirk as she thought of the possibility of playing target practice with Naruto's copies. Naruto always knew how to make her smile.

'When he's here, anyways,' Inner Sakura brought up bitterly.

Sakura sighed and nodded. He was always off with Jiraiya but he'd left Naruto in Konoha as a personal request of Naruto. She was glad on some level that she had someone who attempted to make her laugh whenever he saw her, let alone searched her out to walk with her or simply talk over ramen.

Faded blue jeans were flung onto the bed, a red t-shirt with a white collar and snaps along the seams of the sleeves following suit. A loud slam was heard as she shut the closet door and moved back to her selection on the bed.

As she moved to untie her bathrobe the envelope on her nightstand caught the corner of her eye. She paused just as she pulled the first part of the bow and moved her gaze to land completely on the small package. She contemplated opening it before she got dressed but quickly decided not to.

She fully undid the tie on her robe and slid it off of her body, tossing it onto the floor. She turned behind her and opened a drawer, pulling out a fresh set of undergarments. She pulled on her panties and slid the bra loops over her arms, reached the clasps behind her and snapping them together.

Reaching the bed once more, Sakura grabbed the jeans and slid her feet into the holes, sliding them up to her hips and yanking them into place before zipping them and buttoning them. Next she reached for the shirt, which she pulled over her head with relative ease, before undoing the snaps on both sleeves up to her elbows.

Her eyes moved towards the envelope once again as she walked past it to get her sandals but she ignored it once again. She couldn't deny she found it interesting nor could she deny the more than obvious match between Orochimaru's writing and his persona.

His strokes were subtle yet swift and each character ended with a bold dash or curve. The S of her name was large with a complicated yet beautiful design including swirls and curves. The rest of the letters in her name were about a third of the size of the S but each letter had something extra to make it special. Even the two a's didn't look the same, the first being a light print, the second and last one being dark and completely bold.

He always had a reason for everything and whatever he did he did in stages. He had to have meant something by the way he presented her name. Each character was different and with each new letter the ink was darker. It was never the same in design yet each letter became bolder while remaining swift and subtle.

"Just like him," Sakura whispered, feet slipping into her set of black sandals.

'Oh, just take it, already!' Inner Sakura screeched, fists whipping furiously in the air.

Sakura simply stared at it a bit longer before she shrugged and snatched it, moving her gaze to the alarm clock that now read 12:14. With a groan she ran for the door that would lead her outside. Her hand shot out to get her purse as she passed the table in the hall and she hurriedly exited the building, forgetting the need to lock the door behind her.

Sakura hopped onto the rooftop of her home. She took off towards the opposite end of town where the usual meeting place for Sakura and Ino was located, the letter firmly grasped in her hand. She sprinted and leapt from one rooftop to the next, damp hair whipping behind her at the speed she moved. Within five minutes she was at the corner where the café was and knew she was late the second she landed in the street.

Ino was sitting at their usual table outside the café with her eyes narrowed in no particular direction. Her arms were crossed over her chest, one hand's fingers tapping impatiently against her upper arm. Her body slouched down in her seat and Sakura immediately comprehended her positioning.

Said kunoichi sighed and shook her head, starting her short journey to the table. Each step, however, felt like an eternity to the rose haired girl because she knew each step brought her closer to explaining her most recent discoveries that applied to the boy who broke her heart and, to Ino only, her lover who remained unnamed. She knew that every step closer meant explaining the events of last night and that morning.

That morning…

Sakura shuddered at her recollection of what conspired that morning. Last night was bad enough with the things she'd said but this morning she knew she had confused Orochimaru. She did happen to notice something in his gaze while she defended herself and Sasuke and it wasn't something she liked in the slightest.

'And we _still_ didn't get the chance to ask him how he fixed his arms!' Inner Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Forehead girl, where the hell have you been! You're late! I've been sitting here for twenty somethin' minutes! I thought you were ditching!" the blonde kunoichi scolded, unfolding her arms only to plant them on the table, her manicured nails resuming their tapping on the hard surface with tiny rapid clicks.

Sakura stopped at the side of the table, her arms now crossed, the envelope in her hand crinkling under the pressure of her squeezing fingers. A sour expression came over her features and she glared at her friend upon the use of her mock-insulting name for Sakura.

"No, no, Ino-pig, I'm just fine, thanks for asking. I just said goodbye to him this morning and pretty much never invited him back, but don't worry, he only bought the lie I fed him about me still loving Sasuke," Sakura countered sarcastically as she pulled out her chair and plopped down in it, crossing her legs and resting her elbows on the table.

Ino's eyes widened at the vague description of the news and her mouth opened slightly, her posture straightening as she moved into gossip mode.

"Your guy was there this morning?" she gaped.

Sakura nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, and last night, too."

Ino caught on immediately and would've started jumping and screaming had she not had her minor doubts. That, and also the fact that the news of Sakura and her 'man' wouldn't be spread until she was sure the two were together.

"Oh my God, he actually stayed?"

Sakura nodded once again and Ino suddenly remembered the rest of Sakura's introduction.

"Now, what happened between you two? You told him you were still in love with Sasuke but you were lying? Am I getting this right?" Ino asked slowly as if unbelieving.

Once again, Sakura nodded.

"You don't love Sasuke anymore!" she practically screamed.

Sakura leaned back a little bit, not making eye contact with the few people outside at that moment.

"I'm sorry, could you say it any louder? I don't quite think Sasuke heard that in Sound!" Sakura growled.

Ino retreated back as well and an apologetic expression came across her face.

"Sorry, sorry, but, I mean…you don't love him anymore? I'm the first person to say it's about damn time you got that through your thick skull but…are you…absolutely positive that this is the right choice?" her voice had lowered drastically and she moved to lean forward again.

Sakura leaned forward once again, also, and responded in a very serious tone.

"I'm positive, Ino. I finally get it. I'm never going to get what I want from Sasuke. He'll never love me or want to be with me. I don't even think he likes females, anyway! And I don't even think I can ever forgive him. Thinking about him only makes me confused and angry and remembering what he looks like pisses me off more than you can believe," Sakura explained, trying to keep her reasoning as close to vague as possible and from Ino's expression, it was working just fine.

Ino was silent, something that proved to be quite challenging for the girl since she was younger. Her eyes conveyed complete disbelief but with each new sentence it cleared up and a cross between happiness and relief appeared in the empty space. The two sat there in silence for a few minutes, everything sinking in.

When they did finally start talking again, Ino began.

"But, from what I've heard of this guy so far, he's giving you everything Sasuke isn't, so why lie to him and say you're still being stupid and loving the heartless bastard? What did he do to make you tell such a horrible lie to whoever this mystery guy is?"

Ino was confused. That part really didn't make any sense. If she was getting what she wanted, why lie to ruin it all? Ino turned her eyes upward in anticipation of her friend's response.

"He…well…it's _complicated_," Sakura began.

Ino scoffed.

"It has to do with you. Of _course_ it's complicated," Ino said sarcastically.

Sakura scowled at the blonde.

"I don't have to tell you _anything_, you know that, right?"

"Oh, just tell me already!" she was growing impatient with all the stalling.

Sakura sighed and continued, resting her head on her fist.

"Alright, alright. He just, kind of…he's hiding something, there! Yes, that's it! That's the easiest way to explain it, Ino. He did _something_ to my body that no normal person could possibly do and when I asked him about it he said I would find out eventually and that it was completely natural, not harmful in the least. The part that scared me was when he said I wouldn't get the same effect with anyone else, only him," Sakura clarified slowly.

Ino scrunched up her face.

"I don't know if it sounds more like he's trying to impress you or if he's…experimenting, I want to say, with you," Ino explained with a hint of confusion in her tone.

Sakura shrugged.

"I have _no_ clue."

It was then that Ino noticed the envelope in Sakura's hand. She pointed her finger at it.

"What's that?"

Sakura looked down and saw she still had the paper out. She pulled it off the table and swished it around, twirling it in her fingers and gazing at Ino the entire time she fooled around with it. She used her free hand to point at the envelope in her other hand.

"This? He left it on the nightstand when he woke up before making the bed and starting breakfast. I was in the shower before he woke up," Sakura said, flicking the material before dropping it onto the table.

Ino's interest was renewed. She reached forward for the small package and Sakura hesitantly handed it to her.

"As you can see, I haven't opened it."

Ino handled the small envelope, seemingly weighing it in her hand before dropping it into her other hand. She raised a brow and held it up above her head, leaning back and attempting to see the outline of whatever was in the paper container. After a few moments of adjusting the paper in her hands to find new lighting angles, Sakura grew impatient.

"What the heck are you trying to accomplish by doing that?" she snapped, holding her hand out for Ino to place the envelope there.

Ino broke out into a smug grin, waving the envelope in her hand before gently placing it in Sakura's hand. Sakura wearily pulled her hand back and glanced at her friend, confusion present in her eyes. Ino obviously knew something she didn't and that look wasn't comforting in the least.

"Do I even _want_ to know what's going on in that head of yours?" Sakura asked jadedly.

Ino slowly rocked her head side to side as if listening to some song only she could hear. Her grin remained and her eyes glittered in the afternoon sunlight. Sakura _knew_ this was going to be bad!

"You said last time we met up," she began, resting her chin on her closed hand, "that you and this man of yours were only a one time thing, first off."

Sakura rolled her eyes shooting a glare at Ino.

"So what? What's that got to do with the envelope?" she questioned in an annoyed tone.

"You met with him last night-"

"He was sitting in my kitchen reading at the table when I came home," Sakura corrected, knowing it was best to leave out the specific book he had been reading.

"Waiting for you?" Ino asked, confused and partially angry that she was interrupted.

Sakura nodded and gestured with her hand for Ino to continue.

"Well, you said it was a one time thing and you two met up last night. He _spent_ the night and-"

"How do you know we even did anything?" Sakura interrupted, receiving a glare from Ino.

"It's completely obvious with you! Now stop interrupting me!" Ino all but screamed.

Sakura leaned back a little bit at the outburst and nodded. Ino sighed, calming, and continued.

"As I was saying, he spent the night at your place and was making breakfast for you this morning. He made the bed, also, yet last time he left after you, what was it, passed out?"

Sakura frowned and said defensively, "I fell asleep, Ino."

"Yes, yes, of course, you fell asleep."

Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

"What's the point of all of this?" she snapped.

"If the two of you were only in it for the first night of sex, then why did he come back, and not only stay all night until you kicked him out this morning, but leave you a gift and a letter?"

Ino finished bitterly.

Sakura raised a brow.

"I get the letter part, but…where'd you get this gift idea from?" she responded, confused.

Ino pointed at the envelope and smiled.

"Open it up," she instructed.

Sakura looked down at the envelope in her hands and stared at it for a few moments. An impatient sound from Ino made Sakura finally move her fingers to the flap on the back. She peeled the corner up and proceeded to pull it open. Ino's assumption rang in her head.

'What gift?' she thought. 'There can't be a gift that she can tell exists by looking at it after holding it up to the light.'

Sakura reached her hand inside the envelope and pulled out a folded paper before setting the envelope down. It was flat, the envelope, but the paper had a bump in the center. Sakura's eyes widened slightly and she stared at the bump, tilting the paper just to make sure it actually existed rather than it just being a shadow from a fold in the material.

Sakura gently unfolded the paper and Ino gasped at what lay in the crease. Ino shot forward, face inches from the paper. Sakura was speechless and her chest felt tight. She felt like she could barely breathe. Not only was Ino right about there being a gift, but the type of gift she was thinking of wasn't nearly close to the item she'd received from Orochimaru.

"Oh…my…God…" Ino whispered.

Sakura remained speechless, mouth open.

"That _has_ to be fake…"

Sakura kept up her silent act but inside she was fuming.

'Why the hell did he get that for me! What's he trying to accomplish by giving me something like that!'

'Maybe he's trying to get us to replace the one Genma, Kakashi, and Naruto gave us?' Inner Sakura suggested.

"Now I'm _positive_ this guy's trying to win you," Ino said softly.

Sakura looked up at her friend and raised a brow.

"Trying to win me?" she finally said.

"With the history you've got, he's not interested in a real relationship. He's trying to win you over so he can have _you_," Ino explained slowly.

Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head.

"He wants…what? Ino, you're so confusing! When you say he wants _me_ you mean what?" Sakura questioned.

Ino's eyes moved back to the gift Sakura received.

"I can_not_ believe he got you _that_!" Ino said in awe. "There's no way that can be real!"

It was a piece of jewelry, yes, and perhaps it was more expensive than the choker she'd been given for her birthday.

'Perhaps!' Inner Sakura screeched. 'Without a doubt it is!'

Each section of the necklace glittered in the sunlight, every carved bit of each piece reflecting the light and making the jewelry sparkle. It amazed Sakura how the piece had to weigh something and yet she didn't even feel it. It was a round base, of course, and the chain was boxed and seemed to be made of white gold. In the center of the necklace, hanging down, was a ring of diamonds in a rounded diamond shape with a vibrant red ruby in the center and a drop shaped diamond hanging from the bottom.

"Oh, he's definitely interested in more than a one night stand relationship with you," Ino said softly.

Sakura was now itching to read what Orochimaru had actually written and opened her mouth to excuse herself from Ino when a male's voice rang out.

"SAKURA!"

The two girls turned towards the overly familiar voice and found Naruto racing towards the two. Sakura froze momentarily before spinning around and grasping the letter and her gift and shoving them back into the envelope, clumsily stuffing it into her pocket.

Naruto stopped and enveloped his pink haired friend in a hug. Sakura remained silent for a moment before she sighed heavily and returned the hug. Naruto was rocking on the tips of his feet and Sakura knew he was excited about something.

"Eww! Naruto! Don't get blood on Sakura's clothes!" Ino cried, disgusted.

Sakura immediately shot back and looked Naruto over. His hair was messy and his clothes were covered with dark red blotches. Blood. Naruto was covered in blood and he had hugged Sakura.

"Naruto!" Sakura groaned.

Naruto immediately put his arms in front of him, waiting for Sakura's blow but finding she wasn't making a move. He peeked out from behind his arms and saw her shaking her head with a small smile. Luckily her clothes were blood free.

"You just got back from a mission, then?"

Naruto nodded slowly, unsure of Sakura's intentions. Even Ino raised a brow knowing Naruto would be rolling around on the ground clutching his hands to his head, trying to soothe a pretty sizeable bump. Sakura instead nodded in approval of whatever it was she was thinking.

"And none of that," she gestured to his clothes, "is yours, right?"

Naruto shook his head slowly from side to side. Sakura smiled an even brighter smile. Naruto…well, she couldn't blame him, right? He was so used to her hitting him so it was only expected that he act suspicious.

"Good! That's my boy!" she said enthusiastically.

Before Naruto could duck or dodge Sakura, her arms were wrapped around him in a new hug. Naruto stood still, frozen. He was beyond confused at this point. What was Sakura doing, first of all, and second, why wasn't he nursing a bump by now?

"Are you…feeling alright Sakura?" he asked hesitantly.

Sakura let go of him and said, "I guess you could say I've had a change of heart, Naruto. Now come on, tell me about your mission over some ramen. My treat?"

Naruto brightened up instantly and nodded upon the mention of his favorite food and hobby. He quickly turned to face Ino.

"Shikamaru wants to talk to you," he said.

He grabbed Sakura's hand and the two were off running towards the ramen stand. Sakura barely managed to say good-bye to Ino before she was none too gently escorted for a late lunch and more catch-up time with her other best friend.

Ino shook her head and gathered her purse.

"The scary thing is if those two weren't such good friends, they'd be an amazing couple. Naruto just keeps on getting more better looking with each day…"

She turned to head off to find Shikamaru, and one thought on the blonde and her pink haired friend remained the entire way.

'Sakura, you have no idea how lucky you are. I can only dream of having Naruto want me the way he wants you…'

…

She didn't know when exactly she lost the ability to understand Naruto. It could've been when she was pretending to listen to him brag about his mission while she was really only paying attention to her thoughts concerning a certain black haired sannin. It could've been when his ramen arrived and he began scarfing it down like some starving creature. It could've also been when she felt that _thing_ moving inside of her again.

While she felt she could've been mistaken when nothing happened afterwards, her caution immediately evolved into the next stage, for lack of a better term, of the…side effect?

In all actuality, she thought she handled the situation very well what with the sudden intense rush of pleasure up her spine. Naruto would've agreed with her, too, as well as everyone at the ramen stand and the few people standing on the streets.

Apparently, crying out and suddenly doubling over may have counted as 'handling it well' in Sakura's mind but it only managed to mark the alarm in Naruto. The kyuubi carrier dropped his ramen bowl onto the counter and his hand hesitantly reached out to touch his suddenly hurting friend.

"Sakura!" he cried out. "What happened?"

Sakura's eyes squeezed shut as she clutched her stomach. A small moan of pain came from her lips and her back rounded more as she curled herself up even more into a ball. Her teeth moved to bite her lip when the absolutely worst thing happened.

"Sakura!" he cried once again, but received another moan in reply. "Alright, that's it. I'm taking you to see Tsunade!"

Naruto stood from his seat and rushed to Sakura's side, forcing an arm between her chest and her protecting arms, and sliding another underneath her bent knees. He carried her body easily from the chair and only then began to notice the crowd that had formed around the ramen stand.

He growled for everyone to get out of his way and only a few people actually heeded his words. He gave another low growl before leaping over the worried and curious faces, landing in the middle of the street. He then proceeded to jump onto the nearest rooftop.

Now, of course Naruto would've raced to the hospital for any villager of Konoha but considering the fact that Sakura was his childhood crush, one of his earliest best friends, and the only childhood friend he had that had stayed in Konoha, he was moving so fast people couldn't even register him as a blur.

Any ninja that did happen to watch would see a blonde and pink blur. _That's_ how fast Naruto was moving, so naturally he arrived at the hospital in less than a minute where he normally would take about four minutes. Before he could move to open the door, Sakura's arms moved and he paused.

His head turned and cerulean eyes met emerald ones and before he knew it, Sakura was smiling softly at him. He eyed her carefully, tightening his grip on her slightly.

"Sakura…"he questioned cautiously.

She looked up at him, her body pulsing with something she wasn't quite sure she understood, the beats hazing her already cloudy mind. Her fingers loosened their grip around her stomach and she shakily brought her left hand up to brush across Naruto's cheek.

Naruto drew his head back at the sudden contact, now worried because Sakura's jade eyes weren't the same as before. They had managed to darken considerably, but not with malcontent, but rather something he couldn't quite place, something he wasn't sure he would enjoy finding out.

"Naruto…" she breathed, eyes glittering in the beating rays of sunlight.

He tried to maintain eye contact with the roseate haired girl in his arms but she suddenly refused to keep that contact.

"Just take me home," she whispered before she passed out.

…

The blonde girl impatiently stomped to the door belonging to her pink haired friend, the darkness and the low chilly temperature of the night causing her to shiver in her clubbing outfit. Ino was pissed; there was no doubt about it. Her fist rose and descended onto the wooden door before her. She pounded four times before she reached into her pocket and pulled out a key to the house.

She slid it into the hole and turned it angrily, moving into the hallway before shouting out.

"Forehead! Get your ass up and over here!"

She stomped through the dim hallway and arrived at the opening to the living room, mouth open and ready to shout louder. Just as she inhaled to blow out another round of orders, she caught sight of Sakura's couch.

Naruto was brushing Sakura's hair away from her face, head on his knee.

"Ino…" Sakura groaned as her eyelids fluttered open. "What's going on?"

"What…did I miss something?" Ino asked, hands on her hips.

Sakura then realized someone was petting her hair. She shot up, blanket falling down to reveal wrinkled clothes, and upon seeing Naruto, felt her panic disappear.

"Oh, Naruto, it's just you," she said, relieved. "Ino, I'll be ready in a few minutes. Just let me get myself together."

Sakura yawned, eyes closing. She missed the serious expression on Naruto's face and the gesture he sent Ino's way to go talk outside while Sakura changed outfits.

…

Wide jade orbs read over the letter slowly with shaking hands, mind completely drawn with the handwritten paper. Her eyes followed the small black curves and swirls of Orochimaru's neat cursive. The letter was incredibly short, but each word counted.

/My Dearest Blossom,

I very much enjoyed our night together. While I found it _quite_ surprising that you asked me to stay, I know it was worth every second with you.

Right now, as you read this, you're probably denying it, but you and I both know that you still want to see me again even after our little disagreement this morning. I've arranged for a week in Waves for the two of us.

Quite romantic, ne? The water makes the sunset even more beautiful. I'm sure we could enjoy watching it together on the Great Naruto Bridge.

I look forward to seeing you there, blossom. Say hello to Naruto for me.

Orochimaru/

Sakura's eyes narrowed. Great Naruto Bridge? Say hello to Naruto? Was he…?

'Is he _toying_ with me?' Sakura asked herself, staring at the letter.

'How could he think we'd say hi to Naruto! He'd go off and tell Tsunade!' Inner Sakura screeched.

Sakura shook her head. Something didn't seem right.

…

Hope you like the story so far! I love all of my reviewers, once again! You guys totally kick ass! Please review!

Till next chapter,

Backlash Symphony


	5. Begin With A Spark: Acknowledgement

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Begin With A Spark: Acknowledgement

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Follow Through" by Gavin Degraw

"Alone Down There" by Modest Mouse

"Are You the One" by Within Temptation

"Sharp Dressed Man" by Z Z Top

"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane

"Spark" by Boa

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Follow Through" by Gavin Degraw, "Alone Down There" by Modest Mouse, "Are You the One" by Within Temptation, "Sharp Dressed Man" by Z Z Top, "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, "Spark" by Boa, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**Princess Shadowcat**

**Artemis**

**Sanji & Katsume**

**Rhonda21**

**Keket**

**Renegade Raine**

**Snakelover**

**Marsgoddess1**

**Lady Jaja**

**SexySaiyanSakura**

**Kakashisninjadogs**

**Zashera**

**RosieRose**

**AsianOne**

**REVIEW RESPONSES** (as usual)

**Princess Shadowcat: **You love it? Thank you! Skim it, eh? Well, you sure seem happy (and I am, too) you didn't!

**Artemis:** Of course, of course! Here's the update! And I've already got parts of the next chapter written. You can probably tell which scenes in this chapter I wanted to write because they're written well. Yeah, read on!

**Sanji and Katsume: **Thank you!

**Rhonda21: **Yep! Surprises await you now that you've read last chapter. Hopefully it won't get too confusing…

**Keket: **Senses, you can keep that in mind…Orochimaru, correct! That part of your guess is a definite correct answer. But like I said, keep the senses thing in mind. It'll show up later. Thank you!

**Renegade Raine: **Heh, -rubs back of head- it was either Sakura and Naruto or Sakura and Genma. You can start to get the picture with my choice of Naruto over Genma soon, I hope! Naruto is a lot more important to later on in this story – if you can remember that he's going to be Hokage relatively soon- so I had to put him in with Sakura. One of the two? Would the other OroSaku story be on or would it be somewhere else?

**Snakelover:** Thank you!

**Marsgoddess1:** You weren't the only one surprised! Yeah, but Naruto is, er, well you'll see later, at the beginning of this chapter, that he's doing just fine! And that snake theory? You'll find out more later!

**Lady Jaja: **Well, maybe this chapter will give you a few hints, but then again people change, right?

**SexySaiyanSakura: **Emo…ninja? –Falls out of seat laughing- My goodness, that's great! I've always thought of him that way but I've never heard anyone say it. Yeah, and would you believe I actually sat there for fifteen minutes making notes on a sheet of paper just for those two or three paragraphs? Surprises, yes, of course! I wouldn't be the writer I am today without them! Twists are my anti-drug, I suppose…

Yeah, the changing to fit the idea is usually a trait of someone who's lazy. Uh, I read one with Itachi and Sakura and I honestly cannot say I would ever see Itachi Uchiha say that he loves someone after knowing them for two minutes after he killed his clan. Lemon, yes, I assume you're talking about the ones where Orochimaru (for example) has the ability to have sex continuously for a week and is so good that he makes Sakura (for example) orgasm five hundred times, right? Heh, those things are scary…

**Kakashisninjadogs: **Well, we've already discussed this so go ahead and read to help your guesses out more!

**Zashera: **Yeah, if I haven't given it to you already, it's crypticshadowwriter so you can check that. Orochi/Sakura is the best!

**RosieRose:** Keep reading!

**AsianOne:** Thank you! Thank you!

* * *

'Thoughts'  
"Speech"  
:Flashback:

* * *

Timeframe: One Week After Naruto and Sakura's Relationship Began

* * *

"Hey forehead!"

The pink haired girl stopped in her tracks, tilting her head lazily over her shoulder as her arms adjusted the large pile of files she held so they wouldn't fall. Ino stood at the entrance of the waiting room, hands on her hips in her usual attire. Sakura raised a brow as if to ask what the blonde wanted. She was interrupting her work hours and the files in her arms weren't filing themselves.

'Shizune had better get back soon. I don't understand how that woman manages to do this day in and day out…'

Ino's hands remained on her hips as she moved towards her friend. Her sky blue eyes were lit with a fire Sakura hadn't seen in the blonde since the last mission she went on. The smirk she wore made Sakura more than slightly suspicious of Ino and she narrowed her eyes slowly.

"What is it, Ino? I have work to do…" Sakura muttered irritably.

Ino sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes for the effect.

"Would I interrupt your job if it wasn't important?" the blonde said in a hurt voice.

Sakura paused, her face scrunching up in thought, and she remembered the few times before when Ino has disturbed her for some of the stupidest things. She allowed a soft smile to come across her expression as she remembered one particularly funny excuse that had Tsunade frozen for a while in her spot.

"If it has anything to do with taking Kakashi's book again, I'll take my lunch break," Sakura laughed.

Ino began to laugh along with Sakura as the memories returned to her. She recalled how much trouble the two had gotten into because of that particular event. Upon seeing the image of Kakashi rolling around on the ground like a child with a temper tantrum, the two began laughing harder and Sakura had quickly set the files on the ground before she dropped them and had to resort them. _Again_.

"N-no! Better than that! Tsunade gave me a mission! Isn't that great?" Ino burst out the news from between fits of laughter.

Sakura soon calmed at the good news and immediately called another nurse over. She instructed the nurse to bring the papers to Shizune's desk where she would take care of them when she got back from her break. The blonde and the roseate girls headed off to their favorite corner café.

The girls placed their orders, a caramel frap with whipped cream for Ino and a double double coffee for Sakura. They sat down and Sakura listened as Ino explained the details of the mission.

"It's a pretty simple mission, but I was so excited when she chose me!" she exclaimed, clearly excited by the way her body refused to stay still.

"When do you leave?" Sakura questioned.

"In three hours! Can you believe it? It'll be so great to get out again!"

"Three hours! Then what are you doing with me? You should be packing!" Sakura rushed, moving to stand when the waiter returned with their orders.

"Calm down, forehead! I already did!" Ino assured Sakura, who sat back down slowly.

"I see. Well then," she took a cautious sip from her steaming coffee, "Gimme the details!"

Ino took a long gulp from her drink and began to explain. Sakura, for some reason, was more interested in hearing the boring details of a one-week mission than her quickly cooling beverage. The letter from Orochimaru, the words he had chosen to write, echoed through her head. Before she knew it, she was saying goodbye to Ino and heading to Tsunade's office to be put on the mission Ino was on before they left.

* * *

Sake.

Sake.

Sake.

Sake was the drink of the gods. Tsunade loved it. She would never trade it for anything.

Sake.

Sake.

Sake.

Sa-

Knock! Knock!

The older blonde stopped mid gulp and turned her head towards the door. She narrowed her eyes slightly for being disturbed while she worked.

"Yes, Sakura, come in?"

The door opened up and her apprentice walked in with a slightly confused look on her features. She wrung her hands nervously and met eyes with Tsunade.

"How'd you know it was me?" she asked quietly, eyes taking note that the floor was littered with empty sake bottles.

"You're the only one who bothers to knock…" she grumbled.

"Oh."

Silence ensued for a few moments before Sakura finally breathed in and said it.

"Uh, hi, I'm interested in going on the mission Ino and Shikamaru are going on, Tsunade," Sakura said softly.

The blonde eyed her carefully, hands folded under her chin, a bottle of sake to her left with a dry glass to her right. Her desk was a mess, as usual.

"I don't think you should be going out after that public display last week. It might happen again during a crucial moment in the event you are attacked," Tsunade said carefully.

Sakura frowned and instantly rose to her defense.

"But it's a good starter mission for me since I haven't been on any in ages! Please, Tsunade?"

The look on Sakura's face…well, how could she deny her? That and she wanted her out of her office so she could get back to doing more productive things.

'Like drinking sake!'

"Er, alright, I'll write you a pass to give to Shika so he knows you can go," the blonde dug around her desk for a pen and something to write on.

Sakura remained quiet and wasn't quite sure about how successfully she would be able to lie to Shikamaru, especially since he was good at telling when someone was lying about important things. Telling Tsunade that she was going on a mission with Ino but telling Ino she was going on a separate mission by herself wasn't going to be simple. She only had a few hours left to pack, as well.

"Here you are, now get packing! You don't have long before you have to meet them at the gate less than three hours from now," Tsunade grumbled quickly, waving a small sheet of paper in the air before her.

Sakura reached to grab the sheet and safely tucked it into her pocket. With a bow, she turned and headed for the door.

"Thanks again, sensei!" Sakura called as she left the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

Of course, it was five minutes later, as she was just beginning to use the cup to drink her alcohol, when she realized Shizune was still gone and now that she had just sent Sakura on a week-long mission, she would have to do the filing and filling out papers herself.

She took one look at the cup of sake in her hand, sighed heavily, then downed it, believing she would need at least one more to keep her from falling asleep while she had to work.

* * *

Timeframe: Less Than Three Hours After Being Assigned To Ino's Mission

* * *

The pink haired girl headed towards the gate, continuing to go over the small speech she would say to the group as to why she was leaving at the same time and why she couldn't discuss the mission she was being sent on.

Blonde hair was the first thing she saw as she neared the gate. No, wait, make that _two_ blondes, one wearing…bright orange pants. Sakura froze and swore her heart stopped.

"Shit," she swore under her breath.

She was about to try and turn into the store near her when she saw what she thought to be the _last_ thing she would ever dream of seeing. Naruto brought his fingers underneath Ino's chin and forced her face up before capturing her lips. She watched as Ino's eyes slid shut and could detect the faintest blush on her cheeks from the public display.

Sakura suddenly felt sick to her stomach. It wasn't because of jealousy or anything like that. She and Naruto had decided that being friends was much easier. It was in their nature to be friends, not lovers.

'Although he's a million times better than we ever thought he could be!' Inner Sakura said dreamily, making Sakura cringe mentally.

"But, with Ino? And so soon after? Since when has Ino ever come close to being attracted to Naruto!" she whispered angrily.

'Better yet, when has _he_ ever liked _Ino_!'

Sakura shook her head quickly to rid herself of the path her thoughts were taking her. She didn't want to think of Ino and Naruto right now. She had to successfully lie her way to Waves to be with Orochimaru. She sighed heavily at the thought of seeing him again. Why was she going through with this again?

'Sasuke!' Inner Sakura reminded.

Sakura cringed physically at the thought of the dark haired boy.

'Man.' Inner Sakura corrected.

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head. She didn't care anymore. She really didn't care is Sasuke ever came back again. He wasn't worth the pain she would go through to have to see him go through a trial and possibly be executed in the village square.

'Although I know he deserves it,' she thought with a hint of malice lacing her words.

She pressed on towards the gate and apparently Naruto sensed her because he pulled back from Ino almost immediately after she started moving. Ino narrowed her eyes slightly before spotting Sakura and she pushed Naruto to the side.

Sakura couldn't help but laugh at the childish act Ino performed and received strange looks from the two blondes as well as a few people roaming the streets. Ino and Naruto thought she would have gone running off or possibly even started crying right then and there. Her anger might've been Naruto's next guess.

But she was _laughing_. She wasn't angry or sad. She was amused by what she had seen. Naruto knew something was wrong. The pink haired girl walked to her friends and shook her head.

"The two of you are so adorable!" she said happily, breathing a little deeper from laughing.

"Are you…okay?" Naruto inquired softly, eyes concerned.

Sakura nodded her head, readjusting the pack on her back.

"We're just friends again Naruto. We're better off that way, remember?" she reminded him. "We're free to date other people so you and Ino can go out. I won't try and stop you, rather, I'll be supporting the two of you all the way!"

Naruto thought she was being a little too enthusiastic about it and was still suspicious. It wasn't until what Ino said next that cleared up his suspicion.

"Why are you all packed up? You going on a mission or something?" she asked, confused.

Sakura's smile lit up her face as she nodded.

"I'm going with you! Isn't that great?" Sakura exclaimed happily.

Ino smiled back.

"So the Hokage let you go, finally?" Ino clarified.

Sakura nodded. Hinata and Shikamaru suddenly appeared in two smoke clouds. Shikamaru was holding his trademark bored look and Hinata was busy with her nose buried in a scroll she held. She looked up quickly before rolling up the scroll and placing it into her pack.

"Hello Hinata," Sakura said cheerfully.

Hinata smiled, glad to see her friend happy.

"Hello Sakura. Hi Ino, Naruto."

The two blondes waved and Sakura was happy to know Hinata had gotten over her stuttering problem. That, and also the fact that she and Shikamaru made a very interesting couple. Everything had changed since they were twelve.

No one thought Hinata would stop stuttering and no one thought she would get over Naruto. Everyone thought Naruto would stay dense the rest of his life. Everyone assumed Sakura would stay in love with Sasuke forever.

'And now we're Orochimaru's fuck toy…' Inner Sakura mentioned bitterly.

Sakura had to laugh at that thought. Orochimaru…well, she never would've thought she'd have anything to do with him. She might've seen him once or twice had she not made that deal and that would've been that. But here she was, lying to the Hokage and about to lie to her friends so she could spend a week in waves with an S-class criminal.

Oh, if Naruto ever heard that, she was positive he would go on a killing rampage, killing herself or Sasuke, Orochimaru, and everyone associated with Sound. She cringed at the image and shook her head. Or not…

"Well, I'd better get going. Be safe you two," Naruto warned and disappeared without a sound.

Ino immediately narrowed her eyes at Sakura. Although she played the stupid act, Ino knew something was up and she refused to let it pass by her without at least getting a hint at what was going on.

"Cut the crap, forehead! You're hiding something!" the remaining blonde accused, pointing a finger at her.

Sakura grinned and shook her head the same way Ino had when she discovered the gift in the envelope.

'It's now or never!'

"I'm supposed to be going on a secret solo mission and Tsunade told me to tell anyone who asked that I would be going with you on your mission," she explained simply.

Ino looked at her, regarding her carefully, before bringing her arm back to her side and shrugging.

"Right then, have fun!" Ino said almost too quickly. "I expect details when you get back…" Ino let it hang from there.

Sakura felt the color drain from her face. There was a twinkle in Ino's eye that Sakura didn't like at all.

'She doesn't know I'm going to see him, does she?'

Ino raised a brow but the corners of her lips quirked.

'Shit.'

"Uh, er, yeah, thanks, but I better be going now! See you guys later!"

And with that, Sakura was through the gates with chakra rimmed feet speeding away from the Leaf village.

* * *

Timeframe: Two Days After Sakura Left Konoha

* * *

The Land of Waves. Sakura remembered her first time in this village. She remembered how poor the people had been and how the marketplace held hardly any food at all. She remembered giving candies to a small child that had gone up to her. This was where she had the first of the worst scares of her life.

'Sasuke…'

She shook her head and headed into the village. The streets were thriving, now, with happy people and children racing around, playing their games. The stores were stocked and filled and people were spending. The economy had risen and the village was in much better shape than the first time she saw it.

Now, she had a task to fulfill. She had to find the inn they would be staying at. He had never specified where they would be staying or even what name he had made reservations under.

Sakura had thought about that problem along the way and had come to the conclusion that he most likely had used his Ryo Takahashi alias to make the reservations. She had remembered him mentioning the bridge and she didn't view him as the type to be interested in long strolls beneath the moonlight. That led her to the conclusion that inn had to have been one of the first ones in sight coming off the bridge.

Sakura made for the first one, a sizeable property halfway down the main road and to the left. She walked through the door, a small bell ringing to announce her arrival. The inside was pretty basic but had a homey air to it. Sakura noticed the desk and the stairs after she took in the rest of the decorations.

Walking to the desk, the woman looked up and smiled warmly.

"How may I help you?" she questioned in a gentle voice.

"I'm just checking to see if there was a reservation made here," Sakura began.

The woman nodded and turned her face down to what Sakura saw was a planner filled with dark scribbles and notes with random times.

"Last name?"

"Takahashi…" she whispered.

The lady scanned with her index finger under that week's dates and Sakura almost thought that she had the wrong place when the woman smiled and made a sound of triumph.

"Ah, yes, your fiancé has already signed in!" the woman exclaimed happily.

Sakura's eyes widened.

'She did _not_ just say **fiancé**!'

'There is _no way_ we'd _ever_ marry Orochimaru!' Inner Sakura screeched, motioning that she was going to throw up.

'Perhaps she found a different Takahashi? It's a relatively common last name, after all.'

"- lucky girl to have him! Blue hair isn't very common these days. But then again, your pink hair must have the guys swarming all over you!"

'Or maybe not…'

"Yes, yes, he's right upstairs, the second door to your left! Lucky girl, he rented this entire place out just for the two of you! Well, I'd best let you go! He's waiting for you!"

Sakura nodded and forced a smile. Orochimaru had rented the entire building out just for the two of them and this woman was more enthusiastic than she was. Greeaat…

Sakura moved silently up the stairs and into the hallway with doors on both sides. Following the lady's directions she found the second door to her left and stood before it. She gathered her thoughts and breathed in deeply. She had to be ready when she saw Orochimaru.

She opened the door and walked in only to find the room completely empty. She noticed there was one rather large bed with a nightstand to one side. There was a door directly across from the room that she assumed was the bathroom. A few chairs and a small table…a lamp…no Orochimaru, however.

With a sigh she walked over to the bed, dropping her pack onto the soft sheets. She placed her hands behind her head and tilted it towards the ceiling, looking at the bare white paint the covered it with little interest. She sighed once again, boredom beginning to take over.

"Where the hell is he?" she queried softly, closing her eyes and bringing her arms to her sides.

A deep chuckle erupted next to her ear followed by a familiar smooth voice.

"Someone's impatient to see me…"

Sakura spun around and came face to face with the golden eyed missing-nin.

"O-Orochimaru!" Sakura shrieked, falling back onto her butt with a very unladylike grunt.

The long haired man before her chuckled, golden eyes flashing in amusement. He crouched down before Sakura.

"Miss me?" he grinned, amused.

Sakura scowled at him and moved to her knees in front of him.

"Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again!" she scolded. "God-"

"Yes?" he interrupted, receiving another glare from the young woman.

"Far from it!" she spat, only to find herself being pulled up to Orochimaru's chest, lips an inch away from his.

"Funny, that's usually what you're moaning alongside my name," he reminded her gently, though smugly.

"Pervert," she grumbled, causing him to laugh, his arms still around her.

"You know you love it."

With that sentence he pressed his lips against Sakura's forcing her mouth open with his tongue and igniting the fire to their escalading passionate kiss. He lifted her up, her arms winding around his head, and brought her onto her back on the bed. He pulled away and brushed his hand across her cheek.

"You've had a long journey," he began, holding back the urge to give in to not only his wishes to ravage her body, but the look in her eyes that was completely willing to let him do it. "Get some sleep and I'll wake you up when it's time to get ready."

Sakura sighed heavily in annoyance but sent a soft smile towards him and, rather than resting her head on the pillow, she curled around it, snuggling into it. Her exhaustion suddenly made an appearance and she allowed her eyes to flutter shut, Orochimaru being the last image she saw, and was asleep within seconds. Orochimaru couldn't help but chuckle softly at her expression.

He couldn't deny how childlike she looked at that moment, either. He knew, however, that although she may seem childish, she was still strong despite how close he was to finally breaking her. He was so close he could practically taste it. Although she wasn't showing it, her breakup with Naruto was as if someone had sliced away a decent part of her.

'Not to mention he and her other obnoxious little blonde friend made a go for him the second the two broke up,' he thought with a dark grin.

* * *

Timeframe: Four Hours Later (1PM)

* * *

"Sakura…"

The pink haired girl groaned and snuggled deeper into a ball. She shook her head defiantly. Rather, she would've shaken her head defiantly had there not been something rather hard next to her head. Her eyes became slits as became aware of Orochimaru's scent next to her nose and the dip of the bed that his body made.

"Get up, Blossom," he spoke in her ear, fingers tracing gently up and down her arm.

She smiled gently and wrapped her arms around him, one hand running though his hair. He chuckled softly at her action, thoroughly amused. He could spare an hour, he supposed. It wouldn't take very long for her to get ready, anyway. She needed about three hours, maybe a little longer, to get what she needed done so she would be presentable for tonight.

'Though she may not have enough stamina afterwards,' he thought.

He sighed and Sakura was hit suddenly with every emotion she'd encountered since she left Konoha, turning the smile she wore into a frown. Her hand slowed drastically and she didn't feel as good anymore.

What had happened to the anger she had towards him? Hadn't she kicked him out? Hadn't she said she wasn't going to come here anyway? When had she gathered up enough confidence and skill to lie successfully, not only to Tsunade, but also to four of her friends? Did she even really think about leaving at all, or even concocting this plan to lie?

No.

Why?

'I…don't know…'

'Suck it up already! We couldn't pass up another opportunity to have a night like the last one! You heard that woman! He rented out this _entire place_! For us!' Inner Sakura protested.

Sakura sighed and caved in. That had to be the reason. There couldn't be another explanation.

"So, _my dear fiancé_, we're leaving soon, correct?" Sakura said, sliding onto her back and lifting Orochimaru's head off of her neck.

He laughed, his golden eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Her type believes that kind of lie and is all to willing to do whatever to make the couple happy. However, we have things to complete before tonight, _love_," he explained.

Sakura's chest felt heavy when he said "love" and she didn't know why. It left as soon as it came. Orochimaru lifted himself from her and grabbed her hand, heaving her to her feet. Sakura looked down at the hand on her wrist and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Who fixed your arms? Or how?" she asked, pulling her hand away.

'Finally! We remembered!' Inner Sakura cheered.

Orochimaru remained silent and a thoughtful expression came over his face. A few minutes passed, full of silence. Sakura was becoming irritated. She had been waiting for the answer to this question for over two months. Now every second he didn't answer she became more and more annoyed.

"It's a simple question, Orochimaru," she snapped. "All I'm asking for is a name or a process."

Orochimaru looked directly at her, his eyes completely blank. Sakura's brows furrowed as she thought about the only other near powerful medic who would help him.

"Kabuto?" she asked, pain apparent in her voice.

He still remained silent and she took that as a yes, her entire body feeling like it was being crushed beneath some invisible giant.

"But that would mean…he's a better medic…than me…than Tsunade…"

"No, Sakura. No one is a better medic than you are. Especially not Kabuto."

"Then who? They're working just fine! They aren't bleeding, they aren't bandaged, and you can perform jutsus just the same!"

"That's all you need to know," he said calmly.

His voice was a bit too calm for her taste but this wasn't something a threat would stop her from figuring out.

"Why won't you tell me how you healed your arms!" Sakura half screamed, half pleaded. "It's not supposed to be possible! They were _dead_!"

His arms were healed and Kabuto wasn't the one who did it. Orochimaru wasn't the type of person to lie and say Tsunade didn't do it, but rather go ahead and rub it in Sakura's face. There was no one else with that much power unless he managed to…

Her eyes widened and she made to move back but fell into a sitting position on the bed. He couldn't have!

"You…you _wouldn't_!" she gasped, her thoughts moving on a path she didn't want to think.

Silence and tension grew for a few seconds before Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk.

"Sakura, your imagination is _quite_ amusing. I didn't bring him back. You don't need to worry about that. He's too stubborn and too intelligent to make that mistake," he explained, watching as Sakura's body relaxed a bit and she didn't look scared any longer. "Now, let's get going. We've wasted quite enough time on unimportant matters."

Although his tone was entirely too pleasant, it held an underlying message that she should drop the subject. Silently, she stood and followed him out into the hall. He gave her a quick look over before doing some hand signs. Sakura was now staring at the same blue haired man that had appeared before Jiraiya.

"Let's go then."

Sakura sighed and wrapped her arm around his and the two made their way down the stairs. They nodded politely to the lady at the desk and made their way out onto the busy street.

Sakura allowed herself to become wrapped up with the memories of this village compared with its current display. She truly was amazed with how beautiful everything had become since she was 12. She was reminded each time she came here of the changes that were made.

"Alright, we're here," Orochimaru said, shaking her slightly back into reality.

Sakura looked ahead of her, straight into a…spa? She took a step back.

"Why are we here?" she asked, turning her head to look at him and jumping slightly when she saw he had allowed his usual appearance to take over once again.

'Maybe he's only using Ryo Takahashi as a cover for the desk lady?'

"I figured you'd like a little relaxation time before tonight. The nap was good but I felt a spa would be better," he explained, gently ushering her through the doors.

Before Sakura could so much as utter a complaint, several screams were heard from the left. She turned her head quickly and saw five women rushing towards Orochimaru and herself. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she saw the women practically fight to be the first to reach Orochimaru.

Sakura felt the urge to step to the side and did so, narrowly missing being shoved there by a blonde woman that was the same height as her. Sakura was struck speechless by the small mob of women crowding around Orochimaru, some calling his name so he would look at them.

She looked up at Orochimaru's face and saw he was slightly shocked. She suddenly didn't know whether or not she should yell at the women for "coming on to her fiancé", make her escape while he was busy fighting them off, or laugh at the hilarity of the situation.

The urge to laugh outranked all of her other choices and her lips curved into a smirk before she opened her mouth and began giggling. Her giggles evolved into random bursts of chuckles and ended in full out laughter. Sakura's eyes had shut from the intensity and her body shook.

The girls calmed down upon seeing the pink haired girl in near hysterics. Orochimaru raised a brow at her outburst, but allowed the corners of his lips quirk up in a smirk. This was amusing to him.

Sakura's arms wrapped around her midsection and she suddenly fell onto her knees, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. She hadn't laughed this hard in _ages_! It felt so good to find something that would let her let everything out. It felt amazing and Orochimaru was the cause of this feeling. She hadn't felt this free…she didn't remember in how long!

"Chi-kun, what's Pinky doing on the floor?" a brunette asked in an airy voice, latching herself onto his arm.

Upon hearing the woman's name for Orochimaru, Sakura's laughing fit fired up even harder. She barely had any time to breathe and she knew that. She tried extremely hard to control her laughter and had managed to bring it down considerably. When she stood up, she was still giggling, but it was under control now. There was a short silence before Sakura spoke.

"_Chi-kun_?"

Sakura burst out laughing once again and Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly, his distaste for the name apparent.

"_Blossom_, isn't it about time you got to your appointment?"

Sakura sobered quickly and saw the glares aimed at her by the women around Orochimaru.

"Blossom? Chi-kun, who is she?" the blonde asked, jealousy blatant in her hazel eyes.

Sakura smirked and walked towards Orochimaru. She shoved the blonde and the brunette off of Orochimaru and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest.

"_Chi-kun_ has _me_, ladies," Sakura said snidely.

"Why would he _want _**you**?" the blonde asked, hands on her hips.

"Yeah! You have pink hair!" the brunette added.

"Firstly, he likes the pink, so back off of it. Secondly, do yourselves a favor and don't try to change to fit his interests. If he doesn't want you like that then don't force it. Be glad you even know him enough to allow him to talk to you," she said, her voice lowering near the end.

Orochimaru knew instantly that she was describing her situation with Sasuke. He brought his arm around her back and pressed against it firmly, pulling her closer to him.

"Yuni, get her settled, please," Orochimaru said to a quiet redhead that was in the back of the group.

She gave a small smile and politely nodded her head. Sakura connected gazes with her and smiled.

'Yuni, eh? She's probably the prettiest out of all of them!' Sakura thought.

"I'll be back to pick you up at 6. That leaves about four and a half hours for you to relax and do some shopping. Yuni has the money for your dress and she'll take you either before or after you've gotten settled," he explained.

Sakura nodded and he leaned down, kissing her tenderly, before letting go of her and exiting the spa.

"Have fun," he said before the door closed.

The girls broke apart and moved back to their stations while Yuni walked over to Sakura, bowing.

"I'm Yuni. I'll be taking care of you today as you heard Orochimaru say. Would you like to go buy your dress first?" Yuni said in a soft voice.

Sakura was reminded of Hinata almost instantly. She noticed how she said "Orochimaru" rather than the ridiculous nickname the other women had called him. She smiled and mentioned that she'd like to find out more about why she needed a dress before she went to buy one. Yuni held Sakura's wrist and led her outside.

"Orochimaru wishes to take you to a party this evening. It's a black and white party, he said, where he's going to introduce you to some friends of his," Yuni explained.

"Since when am I important enough to him to be taken to something fancy like that?" Sakura muttered under her breath.

Yuni sighed and Sakura saw a sad smile cover her face. The two turned into a medium sized shop on their right, dresses filling the space from one wall to the next. Sakura gaped at the selection of gowns and summer dresses. Everything looked beautiful.

They immediately headed for the clothes in the back of the store and Sakura began searching while Yuni talked.

"You know, he seems like a jerk sometimes, like some of the things he's done are unforgivable, but he means well."

Sakura dropped the dress she was holding and turned to stare at Yuni.

"What?"

"I know who he is, Sakura. Don't think that I wouldn't be able to recognize him. All of us know who he is. I know the things he's done, where he's from, where he's been. One of the Legendary Three, ex-Akatsuki, attacked Konoha about six years ago, took the Uchiha two years ago."

Sakura's eyes widened. She knew this much?

"Regardless of all the bad things he's done, he's still the best person I know."

"Care to elaborate?" Sakura asked, her mouth feeling suddenly dry.

"He didn't do what he did because he felt like killing all of those people. He did it for the sake of preservation. We've all wanted to be immortal, to have the ability to live forever. Orochimaru found a way to do that. He found the answer to what the entire world wished was possible and was exiled for it. The man is an absolute genius, Sakura."

Sakura absorbed everything Yuni was saying. She felt somewhat scared that Yuni was so passionate about someone like Orochimaru but was even more scared at the fact that she was able to understand where Yuni's appreciation and admiration came from.

"Sakura, if you weren't important to him, he wouldn't have given you a second glance. He would've killed you the second you started to annoy him. Although it may seem selfish, playing God upon the worth and use you are to him, he still believes in what he does. Everything happens for a reason."

Sakura listened intently, absorbing everything. Her mind was terrifying her because although she didn't want to listen, she didn't want to think that it was alright and ok to justify Orochimaru's past actions, she found that it was easy to do.

"You've heard of the Perspective Theory, haven't you?"

Sakura nodded her head.

"Everyone has an idea of what's good and what's evil, of what's right and what's wrong. Everyone takes one side, usually without looking at the other or even bothering to understand the other side. In reality, everything is right and everything is wrong. Everything is good and everything is evil. Just because one person doesn't believe in the same thing as someone else, they label it as wrong," Sakura explained, earning a nod from Yuni.

"Everyone has goals, Sakura, and it seems that along the way, you've become one of them."

* * *

Timeframe: Day Spa (6PM)

* * *

To say Sakura was nervous would be an understatement. She was pacing in front of Yuni's desk, trying her hardest not to bite her fingernails. Or her lower lip. Or clench her fists. Or wring her hands. She wasn't allowed to do anything that would mess up how her body looked.

Yuni had helped her with everything. She wanted to make Sakura look more beautiful than she felt since she knew the pink haired girl would need all the confidence she could get. Orochimaru was due to walk through the door any second now and Sakura was bound to walk through the floor if she kept this up.

Luckily, Orochimaru _did_ walk through the door, and Sakura stopped mid-step, looking over her shoulder through her bangs at him. Her mouth nearly dropped open when she saw how he was dressed. She couldn't take her eyes off him. The sight was simply too much to accept immediately.

Orochimaru was in a tuxedo. Well, he didn't have the bowtie on, and the jacket was draped over his arm. The white shirt looked brand new and she noticed the two purple lines that went down the sides of his nose were gone. That was also the first thing she commented on.

"What happened to the purple lines? Now it only looks like you have on purple eyeliner…"

Orochimaru chuckled at her tone of voice. She sounded so _whiny_. He didn't think she would notice, anyway, but apparently, she did. Now that she had looked at him, it was his turn to look at her.

Her pink hair was up in what appeared to be a messy bun, but was actually quite neat with the exception of the tips were fanned out across the upper left side of her head. Her bangs were brushed all over onto the left side of her face, some framing the gentle curve of her cheek while the rest hung in front of her eye.

Her eyes were weighed with thick mascara that lifted her lashes up dramatically. Black eyeliner rimmed her lower eyes and silver eye shadow was spread across her eyelids. Her lips weren't covered with some obnoxiously bright color, just a simple natural looking pink a few shades darker than her original lip color.

He noted that there was something on her body he'd never seen before. She had on earrings.

'Funny, I don't remember her ever having her ears pierced. They look very good on her…'

A pair of sparkling red and silver diamond shaped cuts dangled from small chains. Looking down, he noticed that she was wearing the necklace he had left her with the letter. It looked good on her.

The dress she had chosen was completely black and made out of a material that stuck to her skin. The material cut off just above her knees, showing off her smooth legs. It had two ties that went around her neck, holding the dress up. Her entire back was exposed.

The last part that he saw was the heels she wore. They were black as well and came up about an inch and a half off the ground. One thin strap slid over the skin right before her toes, two more straps on the first curve of her first and the back of her heel.

"You two should get going. You don't want to be late," Yuni said from behind Sakura.

The pink haired girl turned around and smiled gratefully. She brought Yuni into a hug that the redhead quickly returned. Sakura was so happy she met Yuni. So happy and so tormented. Yuni had given her a lot to think about, words that would either force her to betray everything she had grown to know, the way of life Konoha had instilled into every citizen's brain, or shove those words to the back of her mind and lock them up with every other part of her memory she hated.

"Thank you so much for everything, Yuni," Sakura said happily as she pulled away.

Yuni nodded and patted Sakura's shoulder.

"Just remember what I told you, Sakura. That will help you with everything that's going to happen in the near future. Sometimes you just need to stand alone to prove that you can stand. Those are the most important words I can give you."

The two bowed to one another and Sakura turned, heading to Orochimaru. She linked arms with him and the two headed off for the party. Yuni watched the two exit and waved softly at their backs.

"I can only hope you won't betray him, Sakura. He's worth more than the Uchiha and your village. He can offer you the happiness you seek, but that has to be more important than Konoha. You can't have both."

* * *

"Oh my God!" Sakura gasped as her eyes took in the sight of the grand ballroom.

"You like it?" Orochimaru asked, chuckling lightly.

Sakura looked like a kid in a candy store, completely amazed. The room was beautiful. The ceiling was high up with textured designs surrounding the multiple golden chandeliers. Paintings adorned the walls and a small orchestra played at the far end of the room. There were waiters that moved around with trays of food and drinks as well as a bar on one side of the room.

"Now, remember, these people that you are about to meet know who we are, so if they say something about you being a medic, you don't need to lie and say you aren't one," Orochimaru reminded her gently, pulling her away from her gazing at the many dancing couples on the floor. "They think you're my fiancé, though, so that part you'll need to act."

She was tense, he could tell.

"You look better than the rest of the women here, so don't worry about appearances," he said in her ear.

"I don't belong here, Orochimaru. I'm not good enough for these people. I don't come from this class," she explained.

"The only person you need to worry about being good enough for is me. I say you look like you'll fit in, and besides, don't try to kid yourself. You make just as much money as these people inherit. You simply don't live like they do. Got it?"

Sakura nodded and Orochimaru led her over to a small group of couples that were talking. As they arrived to greet them, they laughed loudly at a joke one of them made. One man with dark brown hair noticed the two and immediately rose to hold a hand out to Orochimaru.

"How have you been, Orochimaru? It's been months!" the man questioned enthusiastically, shaking his hand.

"Good, good, and you, Hiroshi? How's Haru doing in school?"

"They're fine. Haru just graduated at the top of his class last week!"

"Excellent. He's very smart for someone so young. I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Sakura Haruno. Sakura, this is Hiroshi Masawa," Orochimaru introduced.

Hiroshi nodded politely to Sakura and she held out her hand to shake. He gently kissed the top of her hand and Sakura fought the blush of embarrassment. How could she think women were supposed to shake hands in this world?

He introduced her to the rest of the group who acknowledged her politely, thought Sakura couldn't help but feel they were being forced to bother to look at her.

'We could just be overreacting,' Inner Sakura suggested.

"Doshin was looking for you, Orochimaru. He said you could find him at the bar," a woman with shoulder length curls and what appeared to be a fur wrap around her shoulders said.

Orochimaru nodded and gently pressed against Sakura's back, urging her forward.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Get to know everyone. Have fun. Remember, you have a lot to be proud of."

With that he was heading towards the opposite side of the room, Sakura swiftly turning to watch him go. She sighed and took a seat next to Hiroshi, the man she concluded to be the social butterfly of the group.

Sakura forced herself to settle down although her nerves were grinding at the differences between her class and the class of these people. She willed her body to stay put and to keep Inner Sakura calm. A waiter walking by offered glasses of champagne and Sakura took one, taking a small sip of the bubbling liquid from the crystal glass.

'Step one, complete. Now to mingle.'

Orochimaru arrived at the bar in the back and quickly made a left towards the corner. A man with silver hair and glasses was sitting in a similar suit, only with his jacket on. Orochimaru sat down and the other man shoved a glass in front of the sannin.

"You have got to be the most talented liar in the world," Kabuto began.

Orochimaru chuckled softly, smirking.

"Acting and lying are one and the same. Acting is simply a nicer way of putting it."

"Ah. You seem to be enjoying spending time with her."

"It's annoying how kind I'm being. How is Sasuke? Is his condition any better?" Orochimaru asked in a low tone.

"I gave him a stronger dose of the medicine and he's gone back to training," the silver haired man replied.

"What are you keeping from me?"

The man sighed.

"The medication may be keeping him up, but the attacks are continuing to harm his body. I'm doing everything I can to find a cure but I've never even heard of some of the symptoms combinations before. I can keep on testing while he's medicated but that's about it."

Orochimaru remained silent, taking a sip from him the drink that was given to him. This wasn't good at all for his plans and he knew that Sakura wouldn't do well with seeing Sasuke have another attack right in front of her. He suddenly smirked, however, as he thought about her reaction to Ino's words that day at the café.

"Is there something I'm missing, Orochimaru?"

"Sakura is a little too soft for her own good. She might be willing to find a cure for Sasuke," he explained.

"Do you think she'll help us restore-"

"I'll need a little more time before _that_ happens. As for now, Sasuke becoming healthy again is our top priority," he stated firmly.

The man nodded. He turned his head towards the other end of the room and noticed Sakura rigid in her seat, fists clenched. He smirked and pointed over to her.

"You should be heading back now. The princess won't be able to keep her anger in much longer."

The two nodded to one another and Orochimaru headed back over to Sakura, noting that she was holding in her anger that was only growing by the second. He arrived behind her, the group laughing about something funny that Sakura obviously didn't find amusing at all. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura, would you like to dance?" Orochimaru asked courteously.

Sakura replied almost too quickly.

"I don't know how."

He tapped into his memory of something she could do and thought up an excuse.

He took her glass and shoved it into Hiroshi's hands. He pulled her to her feet, ignoring the startled sound she made. Wrapping an arm around her waist he led her a little closer to the dancing couples. He pointed at one couple that was near them.

"Watch them and learn. I know you can do that with jutsus. This should be something much simpler," he explained, squeezing her side gently.

He watched her gaze at the dancers, mouthing the counts for each step as she pictured herself doing everything she witnessed. She gave a nod to confirm that she was ready and Orochimaru led her onto the floor.

He adjusted his hand to fit on the curved of her waist and hip, holding her hand with the other and placing it on his shoulder. He grabbed her free hand and held it with his. With one final shift forward so they were nearly touching, he began to step into the rhythm.

Sakura moved fluidly with him, amazed by how skilled he was at this. She didn't even realize her anger was fading away as the only thing she noticed was Orochimaru and being in his arms. Once again, that feeling of safety and comfort washed over her and she forgot the insults Hiroshi and his snooty friends had thrown towards everything she worked to protect.

All she felt was the heat from his body seemingly surround her, drawing her to him. It scared her that, for some reason, she felt better with him than she ever did in Konoha. It felt…right…somehow. It felt eerily real to her.

'No, I'm simply letting Yuni's words get to me,' she tried to justify, but found herself feeling somewhat nauseous, the same feeling she got when she lied to Tsunade.

With a sigh, she went back to looking at the man she was dancing with. No one else seemed to be in the room as his eyes drifted to meet hers. She smiled softly, all negative thoughts fleeing faster than she could think.

She giggled madly when he released her to twirl her body before spinning her back into his chest.

"So how does a walk before bed sound?" he said in her ear.

She nodded and pulled away from him to start walking towards the exit with him. He waved goodnight to Hiroshi and exited with Sakura. A blast of cold air met them as they left the building. The second Sakura reached the opposing street, she stopped and bent down.

Orochimaru considered asking her why she had stopped but noticed that she was taking off her heels. He couldn't help but laugh at the relieved expression that came over her face. She rubbed her feet for a few moments, shooting a glare out of the corner of her eyes.

"You try wearing heels for four hours. No, better yet, try _dancing_ in them," she complained, standing straight and moving back to his side once again.

"I think I did, when I was younger," he laughed.

Sakura turned to face him, eyes wide.

"You're joking…"

He shook his head and her eyes got wider.

"I had to take a dancing class for a mission my team was supposed to go on. I looked the most feminine next to Tsunade and our sensei decided my skills would be put to better use if I was inside the ballroom rather than outside of it. Jiraiya couldn't dance no matter how many times we tried to teach him," Orochimaru chuckled softly at the memories.

Sakura looked up at him with something akin to admiration in her eyes, though she didn't know it. She felt her stomach do flip-flops at the confirmation that he was actually telling her about his past. Although it wasn't something extraordinary, she felt that it was important, nonetheless.

"You were a cute kid," she muttered softly, not thinking he would catch what she said.

"You think so? Well, you wouldn't be the first."

"Really? Well, I would've thought you'd have been like Sasuke. The village heartthrob with throngs of fangirls? Tsunade was the most interested in you, right?" Sakura asked innocently, seeing how far she could get this conversation to move.

"Is it really that interesting? I found it to be _quite_ annoying. There were days where I was afraid to bathe without padlocking every possible entrance and exit."

Sakura blushed at the image that came into her mind and tilted her head down to prevent him from seeing. He did but remained silent.

"-konoha nin discussion-"

They had arrived to the Great Naruto Bridge. She noted where they were and the memories flooded her mind.

She let go of Orochimaru's arm and walked closer to the rail, holding on loosely. She looked out at the calm water reflecting what it could of the dark night sky. There were no clouds tonight and there was a full moon.

Orochimaru watched the roseate haired girl closely, noting how the moonlight hit her body at all the right angles, making the skin seem like it was glowing. He could only see parts of her, the shadows nearly erasing everything else from view.

He felt a spike in her emotions, not anger or happiness. Rather, it was a spike that he knew he'd be wise to tend to before he had a broken kunoichi on his hands.

'Wait, isn't that what I've been aiming for this entire time?'

He immediately moved forward. He stopped right behind her.

"Sakura, what's the matter?" Orochimaru asked, placing a hand onto her shoulder.

The young girl's body began to shake softly as he watched her hands clench around the bar of the bridge.

"I remember…this was my first real mission, to protect Tazuna. He was in charge of building this bridge. This is where Naruto first used the power of the kyuubi and where Sasuke…I thought he died here," she said softly, though it was obvious she was holding back tears.

"Over there, by the post…he was full of needles…Orochimaru…?"

Orochimaru brought his hand to her chin, bringing her to face him. His hand slid down to hold her back, and in the most serious voice Sakura had ever heard him use, he told her the phrase she'd been told countless times.

"Don't cry for him, Sakura."

The only difference was that this time, when he said it, it actually meant something.

"He's not worth it anymore. You've suffered enough because of him. Every time you shed a tear for him, you let him win. I _know_ you're stronger than this, or have you been putting me on this entire time?"

She couldn't help but allow her lips to shift up slightly, but somehow she kept the rest of her face the exact same. She couldn't help it. She felt like she had to smile. It didn't make sense.

His thumb brushed across her lower lip and her lips parted enough for him to feel her breath on his finger. He leaned down, tilting her head up to him, and watched as her eyes fluttered shut.

Sakura felt her heart thundering in her chest and her stomach felt airy. Her chest seemed suddenly tight, as if she couldn't even control her heart that was trying to get out. She didn't understand why she felt this way. It was Orochimaru, not Sasuke.

'Though we probably couldn't ever feel like this even if we _did_ see Sasuke again.'

She sighed softly as he pressed his lips gently against hers, moving his hand to cradle her head. He started their kiss slowly. She almost felt awkward with the sweetness of the kiss, the seemingly tender action. _Almost_. The sheer comfort she felt from this kiss seemed to send her senses into overload. She was almost shocked when Orochimaru pulled away, apparently sensing her inner reaction.

She was thankful that he picked up on it.

It was scary how something so simple could leave her so breathless. This was the feeling she had always thought she would get when she received her first kiss. This was _not_ the feeling she got with Orochimaru that day he _took_ her first kiss.

'And of course we weren't kissing him back, we'd _never_ do _that_," Inner Sakura said sarcastically.

'Sometimes I really wish you would just go away…'

'Yeah, _sometimes_.'

* * *

When they arrived back at the inn, Orochimaru had transformed into Ryo Takahashi and was carrying Sakura bridal style in his arms, her arms wound tightly around his neck. They both nodded to the lady at the desk who mentioned something about how lucky they were to have found love.

Part of Sakura couldn't agree more with that statement, but every other part of her immediately assaulted her for even considering Orochimaru as Mr. Right material.

The two ended up in their room, Orochimaru resuming his usual look. He deposited Sakura onto the bed and headed over to the table to lay down his jacket. He began unbuttoning his shirt, the white material soon following the jacket, and turned to face Sakura.

"I'm going to take a shower. I suggest you get ready for bed."

She nodded and watched as he moved into the bathroom, seeing how the muscles in his back flexed. She couldn't help but allow a somewhat lusty expression to cover her face before she laughed softly, disrupting the entire appearance.

She worked on her hair first, pulling out all the small clips that were hidden inside the bun. Her hair wasn't the type of hair to listen to her so she was surprised it looked normal yes elegant by the time Yuni was finished with it.

As her thoughts of her appearance drifted to Yuni, her thoughts of Yuni evolved to what had actually happened at the dress shop. More, importantly, who she had run in to. Or even more specifically, who had run into _her_.

:Sakura pulled out a dark blue dress from the rack and held it against her body. Yuni stood a few feet away from her, hand holding her chin in a thoughtful position. Her face scrunched up and she shook her head.

"Try and stay away from the color blue. It doesn't really match you when it's covering the majority of you. Something that has small amounts of blue would be fine, but when it's the only color, it really makes you look awkward," Yuni advised.

Sakura nodded and placed the dress on the rack.

"I don't want something red because I don't want all the men there to look at me strangely," Sakura sighed.

"Haruno? Is that you?" a young male voice called from Sakura's left.

She turned to see who it was and felt herself go rigid.

'Oh _no_…'

"Sakura! It is you! What are you doing here?" the man asked, confused, and began walking towards her.

"Tsuyoshi! Tsunade didn't- or, er well, of course she wouldn't tell you. I'm on a secret mission. I know you don't know, but it's a secret mission for a reason, which is why you don't know about!" Sakura explained quickly.

She walked in front of him.

"And I can't tell you anything, 'cause, uh, it's a secret…mission…so, don't bother asking any questions and don't tell Tsunade that you saw me because she probably beat you unconscious and then beat me unconscious when I get back. Bye!" Sakura rushed, her voice an awkward high pitch.

She spun Tsuyoshi around, pushing him out of the store.:

Sakura sighed, slipping on a fresh set of underwear and a new bra. She had to find a way to keep Orochimaru from finding out. A small part of her, however, wanted him to know.

'I don't need protecting from him!' Sakura screamed in her thoughts.

And it was as that moment that she smelled it. Copper. And copper wouldn't be found in an inn, let alone a water country. Copper would be related to blood. Sakura knew she wasn't bleeding and the windows weren't open. Besides, the smell seemed to be the strongest in the direction of the bathroom.

Orochimaru was in the bathroom.

"Oh no! Orochimaru!"

Sakura ran straight for the door, shoving it open, tears already collecting in her eyes. The sight she saw before her nearly made her drop to her knees.

"Arms…"

Orochimaru was leaning against the wall, incredibly hot water pouring down on his body. She saw the blood swirling down the drain. His arms…she couldn't see very well through the steam, but she could tell –and for once she hoped her medical assessment was wrong- the skin didn't seem to be there any longer.

She took a wobbly step forward, followed by another. He hadn't told her earlier who had healed his arms because they weren't healed completely. Though she normally would have been pissed at him for lying, she suddenly felt compelled to help him in any way she could.

She burned on the inside seeing him like this, and although her worst trait, running away, had managed to become shoved into the back of her mind, she couldn't help but cry. She had managed to step inside the shower when she felt the sheer heat from the water. She shook her head and bit her lip to stop the pained sounds she was bound to make as she reached a hand up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Orochimaru bit out, pain evident in his voice.

For some reason, seeing her cry pained him. Her tears felt like they could burn his skin more efficiently than the scalding hot water sprinkling down upon the two of them.

"The water is too hot, first off. Cold water will help with the pain," she said in a voice of seriousness that completely opposed how she really felt inside.

Her fingers closed around the water knobs and turned off the hot water, replacing the flow by turning on the cold water. She shivered, moving directly behind him and wrapping one arm around his chest, holding him tightly to her. He felt her body shaking but was in too much pain to really care.

"The blood won't entirely stop flowing, but it'll help cool down your body."

When she felt his body become a fraction less tense, she knew it was working. She raised her free hand, her right hand, up and rested it onto her shoulder.

"I'm going to use my chakra to start to repair the cells of your skin. I don't know how long it'll last but it should hold for now," Sakura explained, her voice somehow not changing to match her shivering body.

She pressed her chakra into his shoulder where the damage began, inserting it into the platelets to increase production one hundredfold. The platelets began to produce faster and Sakura could make out the connection. Skin began to reform on what she had concluded to be the near top layer of muscle.

She used more chakra and sped up the process a little bit, removing her arm from Orochimaru's front and placing it on his left shoulder, beginning the same steps as she had with his right. Despite the freezing cold water around the two, she had broken out in a sweat. The chakra exertion forced her body to react while she healed Orochimaru.

She could tell that whatever had happened to his arms, he suffered greatly for it. She had thought them to be dead, but she didn't quite get how they would be in such great pain. Dead things are dead. They couldn't feel pain. It didn't make sense.

She was at his wrists now and she could feel herself becoming a little tired. She knew how to use her chakra wisely to prolong her healing abilities while still having the best results, and right now, she was so close to being done with healing Orochimaru. She didn't know how long she'd been in the shower with him but she guess she'd need about five more minutes before he'd be healed.

True to her thoughts, five minutes later, she finished rebuilding his nails. She took a look at both of his arms, deeming them good as new. Now, all she needed to figure out was how long until she had to do this again and how to stop the pain without stopping all the feeling in his arms. It amazed her that he had managed to go this long and keep it from her. Next-

She found herself with her back against the wall. She was being forced to stare up at Orochimaru who still somehow towered over her.

Sakura could see the anger held in his amber eyes. She could feel it radiating off of him in lethal waves. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't affected because she was scared to the point that she was suffocating from the clashing of the two prominent emotions in the shower. Rage and terror. She wasn't sure why she said what she said, but the words that left her lips were not followed by regret.

"You can hurt me if it'll help."

He simply stared at her, then his eyes narrowed and his stare converted to a glare. The anger was practically pulsing, tangible. She straightened her back against the wall, eyes determined to help the man caging her in. Before she could do so much as breathe, she saw his fist out of the corner of her eye. She barely succeeded in not flinching while her body prepared for the impact.

Her eyes never left his and his fist never made contact with her body. Instead, it went through the tile on the wall behind her. She could see his breathing was labored and he pulled away from her abruptly. He left her, shaking, against the wall. She didn't realize what happened, the fact that she was trembling, until she hit the floor, gulping in the air she felt she'd been deprived of.

She didn't know how long she sat on the cold tile floor, even colder water splashing against her legs, but she knew one thing. She wasn't in bed. She shakily got to her feet, still somewhat weak from the use of chakra, and leaned against the wall for support. She reached for a towel, not being able to dry herself off completely, rather simply wrapping it around her body and her soaked clothes, and moving to the main room.

Orochimaru was gone.

She moved over to the table and grabbed the chair, bringing it to the foot of the bed. She grabbed the small blanket from the bed and draped it over her trembling body. She curled up in the chair, trying her hardest not to fall asleep. The use of so much chakra and the alarm her body had gone into, the shock it had been forced through, was enough teamed up to make her more exhausted than she'd been in years.

Her last thoughts swarmed around Orochimaru.

She knew he was a powerful man that demanded respect. She knew he was not the type to mess around with and was to be feared because of his unpredictable behavior. True, she wouldn't deny she was terrified earlier in the shower, but the fact that remained, the part that sent icy chills up her spine, was the fact that she knew how dangerous he was and how horribly he'd ruined her life, and that Yuni was entirely right.

She couldn't force herself to deny the more than growing possibility that she was falling for him.

* * *

Here we are! The next chapter! So how'd you guys like it? Or did some of you hate it? Hopefully this clears a few more things up. Also, for those of you who have noticed, I'm not a huge fan of filler chapters. Every chapter I write has a point. Personally, filler chapters are annoying. Just my opinion.

This chapter was actually completed within two and a half days. I was going to wait a while until I started working on this one but about three days after I posted the last one, I got some major inspiration out of nowhere. This one came out easily. The next chapter may seem a tad bit boring due to the dialogue, but there's some OroSaku fluff in there along with some shocking news.

* * *

**Chapter 6 Preview**

* * *

"Sakura, whatever you do, never give me the offer to hurt you again. I could've killed you had I not controlled myself."

:…:…:…:

"It's my job to aid people who are injured, Orochimaru," she said defensively, but her voice dropped low at her next statement. "It's the only thing I don't mess up."

Orochimaru grabbed her chin and tilted her head up to face him.

"So, pray tell, who's been coming to your aid since Sasuke left? That's the worst injury you ever received."

:…:…:…:

: "Ino, would you…give up your virginity…for the people you love?"

_I had no idea where that came from but I told her I'd have to love them a lot._

"What about your parents?"

"Yes, of course!"

_I knew my parents were worth it, but her parents were already killed. I didn't understand._

"I never want to turn 18."

_I scoffed. I couldn't wait till I was 18._

"Why?"

_She sighed, weighed by some unseen pressure. She could tell me but she was being so vague!_

"Being 18 will open the doors to hundreds of new consequences..."

_I laughed. That was it? That was what she was so worried about?_

"…consequences that'll tear me apart…" :

:…:…:…:

"She gave herself up to save someone she loves," Tsunade sighed.

"And who did she love when she was 18?" Shikamaru groaned lazily and sarcastically.

"Sasuke," Kakashi answered.

"So who could possibly guarantee his liberation and make Sakura believe it?" Ino questioned, confused.

"I can think of one person capable of holding the profile of Ryo Takahashi," Kakashi noted.

"And who would that be?" Ino asked, still confused.

Tsunade clenched her fists, eyes shutting tightly, and with the most hatred and malice anyone had ever heard her speak with, she hissed, "Orochimaru."

* * *

I also just got finished watching episodes 39-99 and I realized I'm making Orochimaru WAY too nice! Yes, yes, big surprise, I've never seen any of that before, nor have I read any of the manga. Scary, isn't it? I never saw anything with Orochimaru when I first started writing this fic, but I think I did quite well, ne?

Till later! Don't forget to review.

-Backlash Symphony


	6. Figured You Out

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Figured You Out

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Every Time We Touch" by Cascada

"Don't Phunk With My heart" by The Black Eyed Peas

"Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson

"Come Clean" by Hillary Duff

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Every Time We Touch" by Cascada, "Don't Phunk With My heart" by The Black Eyed Peas, "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson, "Come Clean" by Hillary Duff, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**AsianOne**

**Luv's-lyric**

**Dark x Sorrow**

**Lady Jaja**

**Keket**

**Monomaniacal**

**Mrs. Kyou Souma**

**Sage**

**Kotoko**

**Rhonda21**

**d-angelzluv**

**Marsgoddess1**

**Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi**

**Artemis**

**R e i h a N e k o**

**kakashisninjadogs**

**Sora Inu-chan**

**Rachael**

**SweetDreams11**

**Meichn014**

**.chie.x.sieka.**

**SexySaiyanSakura**

**Senyor Fier Mensheir**

**Elena-Unduli**

**REVIEW RESPONSES** (as usual)

**SexySaiyanSakura**: Congrats on graduating early! But no problem! We all have busy lives, so don't worry about it! I'm just glad you reviewed before I got this chapter out. Heh, the ending scene was my favorite to write! I kind of rushed throughout the entire chapter just so I could get to the end scene. Thank you!

**.chie.x.sieka.**: Thank you! Heh, no problem! OroSaku all the way!

**Meichn014**: Thank you! Heh, that was my first reaction to the very first (and only) story that was an OroSaku pairing. I was like, "How could that cruel geezer get paired with such a loving naive teen?" But as I got more into thinking about it, I realized that Orochimaru is one good-looking "geezer" which would be interesting with Sakura who obviously isn't head over heels in love with Jiraiya. Thanks again!

**SweetDreams11**: Thank you!

**Rachael**: Heh, thank you, again!

**Sora Inu-chan**: Seriously? Finally! There's someone else who liked this pairing before they read my story! Thank you! Thank you, again! Wow! You actually stayed up that long for this story? And not only did you like it, you got to feel like Gaara! -Pouts- Not fair! I can't find anything to devote my entire night to, except writing, but even writing tends to make me sleepy...lucky. Thanks again!

**kakashisninjadogs**: As usual, thank you for the review and for the guesses! Enjoy this chapter!

**R e i h a N e k o**: I'm glad to hear it!

**Artemis**: Hehehe...I'm so glad you're in love with it, too!

**Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi**: No problem, no problem! Everyone's busy, yeah. Glad you liked. The bridge was my second favorite scene in this chapter, the ending being my favorite scene. Heh, everything (or at least I hope everything) will be explained in this chapter. Ha! You'll see, you'll see! Read on!

**Marsgoddess1**: Heh, I'm not really one for traditional pairings. HinaNaru is cute, but I paired Hinata off with Shikamaru in this fic, so Ino and Naruto kind of fit together in my mind. Anger management would apply to the two of them, since we can't forget how Sakura gets sometimes...oh, wait, that's another similarity!

**d-angelzluv**: Love me, love the story, specifics don't matter as long as you're enjoying what I'm providing! Enjoy this chapter!

**Rhonda21**: Scary, eh? Yeah, I wrote it and I was waiting to post it the next day when my brother showed me how do get the later episodes of Naruto since I'd only seen up to 30. I watched them and I saw how manipulative Orochimaru was (which I think I did alright on) and how intentionally cruel he was. I instantly said, "Oh, God! I've been making him too nice!"

**Kotoko**: Thanks! Oh? I did, didn't I? Well, thank you very much for pointing that out to me! When I get the chance I'll go back and fix it. Thanks again for reviewing!

**Sage**: Aw, thanks! But honestly, there are much better writers than me out there, so I'm nothing special. Heh, Sakura is an awesome character, though she really can get annoying at times. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

**Mrs. Kyou Souma**: Thank you!

**Monomaniacal**: Hooked, huh? Well, glad to know that! Oh, really? I still think I'm making his character so different from how he should be portrayed. Don't worry, if the way I'm writing him now is perfect, then the way he'll change won't be incredibly extraordinarily sudden, it'll make sense and it'll work, or at least I hope it will.

**Keket**: Thank you! Oh, very perceptive of you! You'll see, I believe in this chapter, but definitely in chapter 10.

**Lady Jaja**: Thank you! I hope you figure it out!

**Dark x Sorrow**: Yeah, I thought so. The softer side is a bit awkward. I probably got it from the Chuunin Exam episode where he has a runin with Anko. I mean, something that would normally be intimate wouldn't mean anything to someone unless they either had feelings for the other and didn't do anything about it or they actually had some greater and closer relationship. Perhaps I've put too much thought into that specific point...

**Luv's-lyric**: No problem, don't worry about it! The fact that you're reading it is good. Ah, yes, I love twists and turns in the plot. I just hope I haven't lost anyone or annoyed anyone yet...

**AsianOne**: Ha, thank you!

**Senyor Fier Mensheir**: Here's the update!

**Elena-Unduli**: Thank you! And yes, he _is_ very sexy! In damn good shape for a fifty year old, too! Then again, so is Jiraiya, but that's a _whole_ different category...It really seems possible to you? Thank you! It's hard work but if you're getting that then I guess I'm doing good. You'll find out about his feelings within the next few chapters. As for the ending, I'm going to post the tragic one (which then leads to the happy one, er, happi_er_ one) and people can pick where to stop reading. Ah, thank you! Thank you! No problem, I take Spanish in school, though. Thanks again!

* * *

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

:_Flashback_:

* * *

Timeframe: The Next Morning

* * *

Warm.

Soft.

_Safe_.

Empty...

Sakura's face scrunched up as sunlight hit her face, filtering through the window above her. She groaned softly and rolled onto her other side, curling her body into an even tighter ball than it was. She was tired, although it only made sense. The memories of the previous night didn't make an impact on her exhausted body and she simply settled for snuggling deeper in the warm sheets that were wrapped around her body and the soft pillow that cradled her head. She sighed contentedly and allowed herself to drift back to sleep, Orochimaru's face lulling her back into that sweet realm where no one could control her.

Emerald eyes shot open and Sakura abruptly uncurled and sat up, eyes wide and searching, filled with worry.

'Orochimaru! I never heard him come back!' she thought frantically.

Sakura immediately began to rapidly search the room and didn't need to for very long. Orochimaru was sitting in a chair next to where she was sitting on the bed. She noticed immediately that the chair he was sitting in was the one she occupied the night before while she waited for him to come back. Then she noticed she was in a bed. When had she moved? _Why_ had she moved? Wasn't she waiting for him to make sure he was alright?

"Orochimaru...?" she questioned softly, concern growing in her veridian orbs as she tightly clutched the blanket to her chest.

Orochimaru didn't seem to have heard her. He simply held his left hand beneath his chin and gripped the chair with his right, his fingers, if possible, a shade lighter than normal, though tightly wrapped around the edge. His eyes were downcast but Sakura could tell he was thinking. His entire expression told her that he was deeply in thought, his eyes distant and his face relaxed as it could be. His thoughts weren't good ones, however, for his grip on the chair continued to tighten. Sakura wondered how long this would go on before he managed to break the chair.

She shivered slightly at the thought of him becoming angry again, and it was at that exact moment that the memories of last night appeared in her mind, this time refusing to go away with a shift of position and a snuggle into a pillow. She let out a small gasping noise and directed her gaze to the hand grasping onto the chair and released the blanket with the hand closest to Orochimaru. She had moved her hand about three inches closer when she remembered how he reacted to her healing him. If she showed any concern now, he might just decide to take her up on her offer.

:_"You can hurt me if it'll help."_:

She slowly brought her hand back towards her but placed it on the bed rather than on the blanket at her chest. Cautiously she took another look at him, noting the only difference was the continually tightening hand on the chair. His eyes were cloudy, distant, and...dull. Sakura felt a sudden pain in her chest. It hurt so much to see him like this.

Why? Why did it hurt now? Why did it hurt last night? Why had she helped him? Why had she cried? Why had he become so angry with her? Would he honestly hurt her over something she did to help him? What would she have done if he _had_ taken her offer into consideration? Would she have been able to withstand the pain he could inflict on her 'pleading no' willing body? What was he thinking about now? What was she supposed to say? To do? But the real question, the one that outranked all of the other questions...Why didn't he tell her his arms weren't healed yet?

"Sakura..."

Orochimaru's voice pulled her from her own thoughts. Her head snapped up to look at him, not wanting to anger him by forcing him to wait even a second longer than neccessary. He had her full attention, and a silence fell onto the two of them. She looked at him, but his head was still bent down and his eyes were still downcast. If she didn't know any better, she would say he was pretty reluctant to share what he had on his mind. She knew better than to pry and so she remained silent, her gaze continuing to remain on the man beside her.

"Sakura..." Orochimaru held his position, though spoke firmly, "whatever you do, _never_ give me the offer to hurt you again." Before he spoke again, he raised his head and made eye contact with Sakura, amber eyes forcing the jade ones into submission. His voice softened to the point where Sakura was straining to hear it. "I could've killed you had I not controlled myself."

Sakura, who wasn't talking anyway, was struck speechless. He was..._apologizing?_

'And he actually meant it!' Inner Sakura questioned skeptically.

She merely stared at him, her gaze softening, and her rigid body relaxing, her shoulders slumping a bit. Her lips curved into a gentle reassuring smile before she could even think to do so. She watched his eyes move to her mouth and took a momentary glance at his hand which had relaxed its grip considerably, the color coming back to its normal shade. Sakura's smile faltered and all the questions she had come up with before attacked her brain once again. the hand on the bed clenched around the sheets. She wanted to touch his arms, to make sure she didn't miss something, to make sure he was alright. She wanted to open her mouth and ask him if there was still any pain, if he felt stiff, if there was something she could do to make him better.

"Can I...?" she said softly, her eyes on his arm now obvious to him.

Orochimaru remained silent and Sakura was about to say it louder, thinking he hadn't heard her speak. Just as she was about to repeat herself, Orochimaru stood up, prompting Sakura's eyes to widen ever so slightly. She did not flinch, though her body was suddenly screaming at her to move. She opened her mouth to apologize when Orochimaru's fingers gripped the hem of his shirt, lifting it up over his head, and sliding his arms from it, depositing it on the chair behind him.

Sakura let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She was now staring at the chest of a half-naked Orochimaru when she should have been looking at his arms. He shifted his body and a dark blush covered her cheeks. At that fact she remembered that she had seen him completely naked in the shower the night before and yet now that he took his shirt off and moved in front of her, she's blushing?

'We weren't paying much attention to his body last night since we were too busy healing him, remember?' Inner Sakura reminded Sakura.

'Yeah, but...still...'

'Don't, "Yeah, but, still" me! How many times have we seen him during his visits? The first night, oh, at least two times, then once again the second night, that's three right there, and not to mention what was _done_ _to_ and _with_ that body of his, why would it still make us act like little schoolgirls!' Inner Sakura protested.

Sakura shook her head to prevent her thoughts from carrying on. This wasn't the first time she had fought with her Inner Self about Orochimaru and she knew that it definitely wouldn't be the last. She scooted herself up towards the headboard and brought her legs up to her chest. She patted the spot where her legs had been, indicating she wanted Orochimaru to sit there.

The older man nodded softly and gently settled himself onto the bed. Sakura moved so she was kneeling beneath the blankets and reached for the arm closest to her. She lifted it tenderly in her hands and looked at the skin at his shoulder, noting that she had gotten the shade of his skin right. Her eyes swept over his arm and she noted that the new skin seemed to be holding together. She felt herself relax with every second that passed. His arms were in good condition, he didn't seem to be in incredible pain, but just seeing him in a little bit of pain irked her tremendously.

Her closed her eyes in concentration and the tips of her fingers began to glow green. She traced them slowly up his arm, making sure she attached her healing chakra to every nerve successfully. She wanted to relieve him from as much pain as she could for as long as she knew how to extend the relief. At the rate she was going, he'd be pain-free until the next day, probably around noon. She was soon finished with his left arm and moved to grasp his right.

She had to lean over his lap in order to reach his arm. She didn't do it on purpose, she just didn't want to get up. She repeated the same process with his right arm and was finished within ten minutes. She fell back onto the balls of her feet, rocking gently from side to side like a little kid. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid of the consequences of her words.

Orochimaru was just the type of person to notice these things, but he was simply happy that the pain was completely gone. He continued to tell himself that he was merely being idiotic, but the feel of her chakra flowing through his arms, delving deep beneath the flesh and nesting in his muscles to ease the pain, he absolutely loved it. It felt calming and relaxing, just the things he was looking for now that he had found two problems in his plans and Kabuto wasn't making the losses all that easy to handle, either.

Orochimaru could tell easily that Kabuto was jealous when he became obsessed with the younger Uchiha. He tried harder to please him and did anything he could to be near him. Once Sasuke came in the picture at the Chuunin exams, he was testing Kabuto in the hospital room. He knew that Kabuto knew that the death of Sasuke would make him number one in Orochimaru's eyes once again, but the test was to see if he would go through with it. He didn't, of course, and Kabuto had to put up with Sasuke's behavior ever since he arrived. The two hated each other more than Orochimaru and Jiraiya hated each other.

Ever since he'd brought up Sakura, he knew Kabuto wasn't going to be happy, though he would do as much as he could to play it off as being fine. However, as the years progressed and the day grew nearer, Kabuto had changed. He didn't want Sakura to take another position he filled. He absolutely refused to be outranked by an uptight, self-centered brat and a weak, emotionally unstable, **_pink_**-haired whore.

Orochimaru knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt Sasuke, but he wasn't doing much to completely help him. As for Sakura, he did know that Kabuto wanted her the moment he laid eyes on her in the exam room during the Chuunin exams. There was a five year difference between the two and it would have been against the law had they actually been in a relationship, or at least the one Kabuto had in mind.

'I need to keep an eye on him for n-'

Lips.

'What...is she...?'

Sakura's lips were pressed against his forehead, one of her hands gently holding his chin between her pointer finger and thumb. Her other hand held his right hand, giving it a squeeze. She released his hand when she pulled her lips away from him, eyes closed.

Sakura knew that this was something Tsunade did to the three people she knew who wanted to be Hokage. Her little brother, Dan, and Naruto. Although she hadn't done it to ensure Orochimaru became Hokage, she knew it meant good luck. Right now, she didn't want to see him in pain. She wanted Kabuto to find a cure for his arms and get it over with, with_out_ her help in completely healing them. She already had a few methods planned in her head that were so obvious she couldn't understand how Orochimaru and Kabuto had missed them.

'Either that, or they already tried them...'

She sighed heavily in her mind. Yuni's words forced their way through the mental barrier she had put up and had now joined in on the barrage of mental attacks she was struggling to ignore. She had already acknowledged Yuni's words the night before. She had agreed already.

:_Her last thoughts swarmed around Orochimaru._

_She knew he was a powerful man that demanded respect. She knew he was not the type to mess around with and was to be feared because of his unpredictable behavior. True, she wouldn't deny she was terrified earlier in the shower, but the fact that remained, the part that sent icy chills up her spine, was the fact that she knew how dangerous he was and how horribly he'd ruined her life, and that Yuni was entirely right._

_She couldn't force herself to deny the more than growing possibility that she was falling for him._:

'I can't honestly be falling for him, though. There _has_ to be something that he's doing to make me lo-'

Sakura's body went rigid and her eyes snapped open at the thought she just had.

'I didn't just say- I didn't just think I- N-No, I couldn't...I couldn't l-l...lo...love...'

"Sakura?" Orochimaru's voice cut through her thoughts, though barely.

She snapped her gaze to meet his and moved back to the original position she was in, eyes still locked.

"Why don't we go get something to eat? It's already nearly noon and you haven't eaten. You still need to build up your chakra levels," he explained softly.

Sakura couldn't really force herself to say anything and simply nodded. She slid off of the bed and padded towards her bag. She undid the ties and reached her hand in. After a few seconds she pulled out a pair of faded jeans and a red spaghetti strap shirt that had two small circles overlapping on the right side. It didn't take long for her to slip the clothes on and she easily worked the knots out of her hair with her fingers before putting it up into a ponytail by using a green ribbon.

"Alright," she said quietly, reaching for her canteen.

Orochimaru nodded and performed the same jutsu he had used the night before, transforming into the same blue-haired Ryo Takahashi. 'Ryo' held out his arm for Sakura to take, once again, and Sakura linked hers around his. The two headed down the stairs and past the desk, politely waving to the female owner at the desk. They took the same route as before but Orochimaru led her to the right when they had taken a left the day before. within minutes they were walking next to the ocean and Sakura couldn't help take in all the changes Mist had made once again. It amazed her to no end the effects of her team all those years ago.

"Give it back!" a high-pitched voice, belonging to a very young girl, screeched.

Sakura's head moved in the direction the voice had come from. She scanned the area around her and noted a small girl, no older than seven, surrounded by a group of boys, the youngest no younger than thirteen, a ways up ahead of them. Sakura analyzed the situation very carefully, paying special attention to each of the boys. She saw that one boy, the one who seemed to be the oldest, about fifteen, was holding what appeared to be a very worn-down doll and was waving it in the air just above the little girl's reach.

"Oh, no..." she gasped.

One boy stepped closer to the now jumping girl and shoved her towards another boy. The other boy caught her and shoved her in a different direction. Sakura stood there, hands clenching into fists. If it didn't stop, she was going over there. She was praying they would just stop and leave her alone, just stop and give her the doll back. But what she saw next broke all restraints she had.

The boy that shoved the girl first grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her back towards him before throwing her onto the ground harshly, forcing her to skid along the rough gravel and scrape her knee and cut her calf. All the boys laughed as she began to cry and cradle her hurt leg with an arm that was badly scraped from the wrist to the elbow.

"That's what you get for having such a big forehead!" the fifteen year old cried out, pointing at the girl's forehead.

The other boys laughed harder.

"Look at that! It's **huge**!" another boy added.

"**Get away from her!**" Sakura shouted, suddenly running at the group.

The boys stopped laughing and the fifteen year old swore before throwing the doll to the ground and calling a retreat. Sakura didn't waste any time pummeling the boys, although she desperately wanted to. Right now, the only one she cared about was the little girl that was bleeding and crying in front of her. Sakura grabbed the thrown doll and approached the child swiftly, kneeling down before her.

"Hey there! Can you tell me your name?" Sakura asked gently, though hurriedly.

The little girl kept crying, but after a few seconds she managed to give Sakura her name between sobs.

"N-Na-or-r-ri-i!"

Sakura put on a smile. Seeing this girl crying was so painful to her and she didn't think she'd be able to concentrate.

"Naori, I'm Sakura. Look, I need you to let me see your arm and your leg so I can heal you and stop the pain, alright?" she explained in a soothing voice.

Naori tried to calm her shaking body but only managed to lower her sobs down to sniffles and whimpers. Sakura gently grabbed Naori's left leg, the one that had the scraped knee, and began to explain what she was going to do.

"I'm going to clean it first, and then I'll heal it. Alright?" she said slowly.

The girl nodded and Sakura forced chakra into her hand, hovering it above the scrape.

"This might sting for a second, just to warn you."

Sakura's hand pressed down gently on the scrape but Naori let out a cry at the slight pressure. Two seconds later and Sakura lifted her hand away. The scrape was gone and the knee looked like it hadn't been touched. Sakura brought her hand to the side and the green glow stopped. Small particles fell from her hand and she moved to find the cut on Naori's calf. Before she could touch it, she saw Naori's hand tracing over the spot where the wound was, an amazed look pushing past the pained one.

Sakura smiled to herself and did the same thing to the cut, only this time she let her hand hover above the wound. In about fifteen seconds the cut was healed and Sakura moved up to the girl's arm. Sakura let out a soft hiss at this one. She could easily heal it but it would hurt a lot to try and get all the bacteria and dirt out. She sighed and reached behind her for her water canteen and dug into her pocket for a handkerchief.

"Alright, Naori, I want you to listen to me carefully. This cut on your arm can't be cleaned properly by my green glow yet so I need to wash it out with some water," Sakura explained carefully.

"I-Is it g-gonna hur-rt, Sakura?" she asked fearfully.

"Unfortunately, a little bit," Sakura said softly.

She took the handkerchief and poured the water onto it, wringing it out when she was done.

"I'll give you my hand and I want you to squeeze when it hurts, ok?" Sakura said gently, taking her hand and placing it next to Naori's uninjured arm.

Naori hesitantly held onto her pointer finger and Sakura eased her injured arm down to lay acroass her jean-clad lap. She brought the handkerchief down so that it was just above the skin.

"I'm going to start now, alright?"

Naori's eyes squeezed shut and she nodded. Sakura nodded, more to herself than to Naori, and pressed the cloth to the cut. Immediately she felt Naori's hand constrict around her finger and tried to help by rubbing her hand with her thumb. Various whimpers and soft cries came from the girl and about a minute later, tears were streaming down the girl's face and she was sobbing again. Sakura had lost all feeling in her finger about thirty seconds ago and was trying to finish cleaning the cut. Another minute passed and her task was complete.

Sakura brought her hand down over it and gently brushed it across the cut, the skin knitting back together as she moved up her arm. Another minute passed and Sakura took a good look at Naori's arm. It was completely healed without a scar. Sakura smiled at her work.

"There! All done, now!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

Naori, still crying, looked down at her arm and saw that there was nothing there anymore. Her tears stopped flowing and Sakura hastily wiped the water marks on her face away with her thumb. Naori inspected all of her other cuts, or at least the places on her flesh where they were. Her face held an awed expression. Sakura guessed she had never been healed by a medic-nin before.

"You did very well, Naori. I'm proud of you!" Sakura said cheerfully, picking up the girl's doll and brushing some dirt from it.

Sakura handed the toy to Naori who took it gratefully, smothering it against her chest in a great bear hug.

"Now," Sakura sighed, "we don't want those boys picking on you because of this," Sakura brushed her hand over the bangs that covered Naori's forehead, "right?"

Naori looked like she was about to cry again and Sakura quickly continued.

"Did you know I was made fun of when I was a child because I had a big forehead?"

Naori's tears went away. Her eyes widened.

"You did?"

Sakura nodded.

"But you're too pretty to have had a big forehead!" Naori complained.

Sakura smiled and let out a laugh.

"I know how we can make it look a little bit better. Would you like me to help?" Sakura said, reaching a hand behind her head.

Naori nodded her head rapidly and Sakura smiled. Her fingers gripped the ribbon in her hair and she pulled the free end, causing the ribbon to come out of her hair. Sakura slid the ribbon under Naori's hair and brought the ends up to the front where she adjusted the ribbon to slip beneath her bangs. Sakura tied the ribbon and moved it back so it lifted Naori's bangs away from her face. Sakura sat back and looked at what she had done.

"There, that made a great improvement!"

A shadow fell across the two girls and Sakura looked up to see Orochimaru with a straight face. He walked around Naori and crouched down next to her. Sakura watched as Naori simply stared at him and Orochimaru simply stared back at her. There was a long silence before Naori suddenly smiled and, faster than Sakura thought she could move, Naori had secured both of her arms around Orochimaru's neck, hugging him.

It's hard to say which expression was funnier, the one on Sakura's face or the one on Orochimaru's face. Orochimaru's eyes were narrowed and his left eye was twitching ever so slightly. His lips were curled into a distasteful frown. Sakura, on the other hand, stared at the two with wide eyes, mouth hanging open. Oh, no, Orochimaru's expression was _definitely_ funnier.

Sakura was quick to pull out of her stupor and she noticed that Naori wasn't planning on letting go of Orochimaru anytime soon. Sakura motioned for him to hold her but he shot her an 'are you crazy!' look. She glared at him and he narrowed his eyes even more before standing and wrapping his arms around Naori to hold her up. Sakura stood, too, and began to question Naori when Orochimaru beat her to it.

"Where are your parents?" he asked, adjusting her weight in his arms.

Naori turned her head and pointed in the direction Orochimaru and Sakura were originally heading in. She then turned back and hid her face in the crook of Orochimaru's neck, something Sakura found quite amusing.

"At that foreign food place," she clarified.

"Ah."

The three headed off, Naori clinging to a somewhat grumpy Orochimaru while Sakura walked happily by his side. They were nearing the street the restaurant was on when Naori spouted one of the things on Sakura's hate list that Sakura didn't want to hear.

"Mister, don't you think Sakura is too pretty to have a big forehead? She said she had one when she was a little kid!"

Sakura's eyes widened.

'Oh _no_...'

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk.

"She's not lying when she says she had a big forehead. When she was young, she got made fun of because of it all the time," Orochimaru explained, turning down the street. "As for being _too_ pretty, hm, the hair _does_ need a little work," he said seriously, but shot Sakura a flirtatious look, lips still in a smirk.

Red tinted Sakura's cheeks and she had to force the grand smile she had on her face to go away before it spread completely. She looked away, unable to believe _Orochimaru_ was _flirting_ with _her_ in front of a child.

'What the Hell are we complainin' for!' Inner Sakura chimed in. 'We have the absolute hottest of the hot ninja guys **flirting** with us! Forget about the kid! He wants us to flirt back! **Flirt back!**'

Sakura huffed.

'Forget it.'

Sakura laughed softly.

"And this is coming from the guy whose hair is just as long, if not longer, than mine..."

Naori laughed at that and Orochimaru gave a sidelong glance to see Sakura mimicking the expression he had on moment earlier. He remained calm on the outside, but on the inside he knew that tonight was going to be the night. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get very far the next night because of his plans, but tonight he could show her what ecstasy _really_ was. He smirked to himself. He could already picture her face. He could just imagine her cries. Ah, yes, he couldn't wait until tonight...

"Naori!" a woman's voice called out.

"Naori!" a man's voice called out after.

Sakura and Orochimaru stopped as a man and a woman with black hair and blue eyes came running towards them. The woman reached Orochimaru before the man and he handed Naori to her. Sakura smiled at the child and received a grin right back.

"Oh, thank God you're alright!" the woman said, crushing her daughter to her in a hug.

"We were so worried!" the man cried out, hugging his wife and daughter. "What happened to her? Where did you find her?"

"She was being bullied by some older boys. They took her doll and she ended up hurt. I healed her and we decided to go find her parents. To make a long story short, anyway...Er, you _are_ her parents, right?" Sakura explained.

The couple nodded.

"Thank you so much for helping her. Those boys have been bothering her for quite some time. But, this ribbon. Is it yours?" the woman said gratefully.

Sakura nodded.

"I had the same forehead problem. The ribbon makes it look smaller, but using her bangs to cover it up only amplifies it," Sakura said thoughtfully.

The woman nodded.

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind. Good luck to the both of you! I hope you live happily together."

With those words, the small family took off, but their parting words remained with Sakura. She looked hesitantly up at Orochimaru and watched as he turned to meet her gaze before ushering her back the way they came. Their destination was two streets further and he wanted to hurry and get there. Sakura walked silently beside Orochimaru who was equally as silent.

Sakura reflected on the events that just took place. It was horrible to see someone so young and helpless being bullied by kids that were so much older than she was. And then after that? Was it so neccessary to steal her doll? To push her? To throw her onto the ground like trash? To make fun of something she had no control over? That _especially_ since it struck home with Sakura. She remembered the pain of being made fun of, how horrible it felt. She couldn't stop it and she couldn't control what it was that she was tormented for.

"Why did you bother to help her?" Orochimaru asked suddenly.

"She was hurt. What was I supposed to do? Walk past her and laugh at her?" Sakura asked angrily.

"You should've just let her get up and find her parents on her own."

"It's my job to aid people who are injured, Orochimaru," she said defensively, but her voice dropped low at her next statement. "It's the only thing I don't mess up."

Orochimaru grabbed her chin and tilted her head up to face him.

"So, pray tell, who's been coming to your aid since Sasuke left? That's the worst injury you ever received."

Sakura didn't say a word. She didn't think. She didn't want to. Who had come to her aid when Sasuke left? No one really stood out. Not even Naruto. Not even Ino. Not Kakashi, not Genma, hell, not even Tsunade! The kind of help she needed, no one gave it to her. If any one of the people she thought of honestly helped, they would have known she was merely a shell, a robot, if you will. She was like a living breathing genjutsu. Her happiness was an illusion that just enough chakra could produce to fool everyone. Naruto was the only one to come close to cracking her, too, and if she hadn't needed Orochimaru so badly, Naruto would've figured her out.

'Ok, so what if he was good in bed...er...couch...'

'And now he's off with Ino! He double crossed us!' Inner Sakura screeched, pumping a fist menacingly in the air.

Sakura brought her hand up to his and shoved his hand from her chin.

"Tsunade and Naruto," she said stiffly.

He gave a half snort, half laugh and shook his head.

"You're lying," he said in an amused voice.

She shot him a glare before turning and walking on.

She had walked all of about three steps before she felt an arm snake its way around her waist and pull her back into a hard chest. Sakura's eyes narrowed when his other arm settled under her chest. Sakura's body had already been programmed to relax in his arms from the other experiences, but his scent was driving her senses wild. She felt warm breath on her ear and she prayed he wouldn't do what she thought he would. It had only been about eight or nine days since their last tryst, and though her body was used to the one month space, she suddenly found herself unsure of whether she could hold back tonight or not. It all depended on if he decided to do what she hoped he didn't.

She never understood why all the guys that are off-limits have to be the best looking with the most addictive _everything_.

Unfortunately for Sakura, Orochimaru repeated the question.

"Who, _Blossom_?" he breathed, the fingers on her waist tracing meaningless patterns over the covered flesh, though enough to make her breathing hitch.

His lips pressed against her earlobe before sliding down her neck to find the spot just beneath her ear that he knew set her off. He knew he found it when she went rigid and a gasp pushed past her lips. He smirked against her skin.

"Y-You."

With that one word, Orochimaru's arms retracted from her body, his lips planting one final kiss on her ear before grabbing her and turning her to face him by her shoulders. He smirked down at her, noting that he already had managed to force her skin to turn a very light shade of pink. Oh, he _really_ couldn't wait until tonight.

"Alright then. Shall we?" Orochimaru asked smugly, sweeping his arm out in a seemingly innocent gesture.

When Sakura moved to walk past him, however, his arm came down to rest around her waist. Sakura tensed but eased just as quickly. Orochimaru let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head softly. He steered her to the right and down the busy street until they arrived in front of what seemed to be a pretty casual restaurant. Orochimaru ushered Sakura inside and Sakura took the free time while they waited for their seats to take a look at Orochimaru out of the corner of her eye.

There didn't really seem to be anything physically different about him. He had the same past-shoulder length midnight colored tresses, the same powerful and genius topaz colored snake eyes, his usual flawless paper white skin, and the same structured face and muscled body that she wanted to cling to at the very moment. No, there was nothing different with him. Perhaps his eyes sparkled in a way Sakura was familiar with from past experiences with Ino and maybe those oh-so-kissable lips of his were barely concealing a grin she knew held a darker meaning. It was _Orochimaru_. He was bound to be creating some plan for something that didn't concern her, or he might have even been enjoying a particularly amusing memory back during his days as a genin with Jiraiya and Tsunade.

Overall, Sakura had a very pleasant time at the restaurant. Orochimaru behaved himself for the most part and Sakura couldn't bring herself to tell him to get his hand off of her thigh in front of all the other people in the building. She settled for shifting her body, hoping he would get the message, but Orochimaru tended to look past things like that. She had to forcefully pry his fingers from her body before said fingers tried to give her an orgasm in the middle of the restaurant. Sakura's initial thought on that was that it wouldn't be bad for her seeing as how Orochimaru knew her body better than she did, but she rationalized that it would be incredibly terrifying to do such a thing in front of the other occupants, or really, just other people in general.

The second they left the restaurant, however, Sakura was nearly dragging Orochimaru back to the hotel. For some reason she couldn't comprehend, she had to be with him. She needed to have him inside of her at that very second, no excuses. Orochimaru quickly performed his transformation jutsu and became Ryo Takahashi once again for the desk lady, only to find that the desk lady had left a note on the desk explaining that she would be back at six o'clock. Sakura grinned. It was three o'clock right now. That left three hours to enjoy by themselves. Once again Sakura dragged Orochimaru and the two fled up the stairs.

Orochimaru backed her up against the wall before reaching into his pocket to grab the key to their room. His lips covered Sakura's and he didn't bother wasting time with waiting for her to open her mouth. He shoved his tongue directly in and she quickly tangled hers with his. The key slid into the door and he roughly turned the handle, pushing the door open and pulling Sakura with him into the room, kicking the door closed behind him and turning the lock with his hands while Sakura's hand burried themselves into his hair.

* * *

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Eyelids fluttered open to reveal two cerulean eyes.

White.

That's all the eyes could see. The body the eyes belonged to attempted to move to sit up but the body was so sore, the only thing she could do was groan softly. Turning her head to the right, she saw violet hair peeking out from beneath white sheets.

_Hinata_.

Turning her head to the left she saw dark hair that spiked out at odd angles in the shape of a pineapple.

_Shikamaru_.

The girl groaned again as she realized she was in the hospital and that her teammates were just as badly injured as she was.

'What happened?'

* * *

Orochimaru's shirt landed without a sound on the rug beneath his feet. Sakura's fingers roamed over his muscled chest, finding she could never bring her eyes and hands away from it for some reason she never quite discovered. She gave a soft moan and her eyelids closed as her nails scraped over each ripple of muscle. She then felt the vibrations of his laughter beneath her fingernails and pressed herself completely against him, feeling the vibrations travel through her chest and relishing in the feeling his hot skin touching hers.

Immediately after he harshly grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head to the side, exposing her slender neck to his hungry gaze. A soft cry escaped her lips but a moan soon covered it up as his lips began to move expertly over her neck and shoulder.

* * *

"Ah, you're awake, Ino!" a woman's voice said from somewhere in front of the girl in the bed. "I need you to tell me what happened!" she said sternly. "Where's Sakura?"

Ino squinted her eyes, the memories suddenly attacking her mind.

Blood. Lots and lots of blood. Shikamaru diving in front of Hinata, taking what should had been a fatal blow. Hinata, suddenly attacked from behind because she couldn't keep the circle of enemies from shrinking. Ino, the Sound nin had her pinned to a tree, gazing at her in a way that left her feeling violated, before being punched so hard in the gut she passed out. Anbu, two nins finding their bodies and bringing them back to Konoha. Sakura?

"You never sent her with us, Hokage," Ino said in a confused tone. "You sent her on a special single-nin mission, remember?"

It was Tsunade's turn to look confused.

"What exactly did I do now?" Tsunade asked in a concerned voice. "She volunteered to go with your squad and I approved of it."

Ino's eyes widened at the meaning of those words.

"No way! Sakura doesn't have the guts to pull something like _that_!" she exclaimed, mouth struggling to form a smile as well as a frown.

"Unless...she went after Sasuke..." a boy's voice groaned softly.

"Shikamaru!" Ino cried, happy to see he was up as well, but her smile turned into a frown. "No, she may be stupid but she isn't _that_ stupid. She was talking to me a few mornings ago about Sasuke," she explained. "She said she's over him and she's already found some new guy she really likes."

Tsunade sighed.

"Her behavior's been odd these pasts few months. Ever since her 18th birthday she's been so random with her emotions..." the Hokage said, frustrated.

* * *

Sakura groaned as a hand enclosed around one of her breasts, firmly squeezing the soft mound of flesh as lips settled around the breast uncovered, teeth biting gently on the nipple. Orochimaru's other hand rested beneath the panties under her now unbuttoned pants, two fingers prodding her entrance and rubbing the rim of flesh at her lips.

Her eyes were closed, her head tilted back.

"You're such an asshole...you know that?" she panted, fingers running through his hair to press his head closer to her breast.

He chuckled and the vibrations made her clench her legs. Orochimaru felt a small bit of moisture leaked its way out of her and began rubbing her entrance harder, resulting in the pads of his two fingers barely being pushed into her.

"I could've wait another month, but you _had_ to do this now!"

* * *

"She's been coming to me for advice about sex and men. Once again, I say that she's over Sasuke and that she's found someone new," Ino stated matter-of-factly.

"Jiraiya was saying something about dropping a book off at Sakura's house and seeing a man by the name of Ryo Takahashi with Sakura. He mentioned he was incredibly possessive with her," Kakashi said, stepping out from behind Tsunade.

"I've never heard of him," Tsunade and Ino said simultaneously.

"Jiraiya felt he knew him, like he'd seen him before. But he was also intimidated," Kakashi added.

"He's a ninja, I would assume, because that Ryo guy was in the shower when Jiraiya came around. He wouldn't have known someone was there unless he was a ninja," Ino said.

* * *

Sakura's back hit the soft sheets of their bed and Orochimaru was quick to grab her left leg before hooking it over his shoulder. She was perfectly lined up with him now and in one swift thrust he was sheathed in her tight hot passage. His eyes closed as she clenched around him, a strangled gasp coming from between her plump lips. He drew himself back, tightening his grip on her leg, and slammed roughly back into her, causing her to arch her back.

He began his pace of quick hard thrusts that left her writhing beneath him, mouth open and gasping for air as moans forced their way out of her throat. Her fingers clenched the bedsheets, holding onto the fabric for dear life. He somehow managed to plunge harder into her and she cried out loudly and arched her back, suddenly finding that he hit deeper within her like that and forced herself to stay in that position.

Her stomach began to tighten with every new thrust into her willing body. Her nipples ached with the need to be fulfilled, to be touched like she'd never been touched before. Her fingers gripped tighter, so tight, they began to turn white.

* * *

"A ninja? Well, I suppose that narrows it down. However, since I don't know of anyone in this village named Ryo Takahashi, and since we're assuming he's a ninja, he would have to be from out of this village," Tsunade concluded.

Kakashi shook his head.

"Not necessarily. He could be using a transformation jutsu in order to fool people into thinking he's not from this vil-"

"I just thought of something!" Ino exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

All eyes turned on her and she continued.

"Well, we all agree this awkward behavior started directly after her 18th birthday, right?" she asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Well, this is something that happened when we were still 16, two years ago. I don't know how much of this will be helpful, but, oh well, here goes nothing."

: "Ino, would you…give up your virginity…for the people you love?"

_I had no idea where that came from but I told her I'd have to love them a lot._

"What about your parents?"

"Yes, of course!"

_I knew my parents were worth it, but her parents were already killed. I didn't understand._

"I never want to turn 18."

_I scoffed. I couldn't wait till I was 18._

"Why?"

_She sighed, weighed by some unseen pressure. She could tell me but she was being so vague!_

"Being 18 will open the doors to hundreds of new consequences..."

_I laughed. That was it? That was what she was so worried about?_

"…consequences that'll tear me apart…" :

* * *

Her head tossed from side to side and Orochimaru shifted his hips and she screeched, some hidden part inside of her bursting with a sudden explosion of pleasure. It was at that moment she decided to say the one phrase that Orochimaru knew outdid every other.

"Oh, G-God, please!" she gasped. "Don't stop!** Don't stop**!"

Those two words, 'Don't Stop', became like some mantra to her and she couldn't stop saying them. She repeated the words over and over, yet with each new repetition, her pitch got higher. He finally took note that he face was the ideal expression for him, the one he'd been looking to see.

He eyes were squeezed shut, brows furrowed and forehead creased. Her cheeks were tight and her mouth was open, gasping for breaths while trying to push out his favorite words in a hopeful attempt to stall her impending orgasm. he watched her brow glisten with sweat, and looking close enough, he saw tears forming at her eyes. Her neck muscles were tight, fingers white as they held onto the bedsheets like a lifeline. Her nipples were hard and peaked to their fullest, waiting to relax once the orgasm hit. her stomach was the tightest he'd ever seen it but he knew it was because she'd never felt pleasure like what she was feeling now. The muscles in her legs and butt flexed with each stroke he gave her. Her body simply screamed_ ecstasy_.

And he knew she was close, oh so close, because at that very moment her body began to shake. Her hips thrust up to meet his, doing whatever she could to find her release. One thrust, another thrust, her clit was throbbing now. It needed to be touched, to finish this all off, and Orochimaru wasn't one to leave someone like Sakura hanging when she was so close.

* * *

"She gave herself up to save someone she loves," Tsunade sighed.

"And who did she love when she was 18?" Shikamaru groaned lazily and sarcastically.

"Sasuke," Kakashi answered.

"So who could possibly guarantee his liberation and make Sakura believe it?" Ino questioned, confused.

"I can think of one person capable of holding the profile of Ryo Takahashi," Kakashi noted.

"And who would that be?" Ino asked, still confused.

* * *

With one pinch of his fingers on her clit, she threw back her head, arching her back impossibly higher off the bed, and screamed his name.

"Orochimaru!"

* * *

Tsunade clenched her fists, eyes shutting tightly, and with the most hatred and malice anyone had ever heard her speak with, she hissed, "Orochimaru."

* * *

**Chapter 7 Preview**

* * *

She knew she was pushing it but this was Kakashi. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? Would he? She watched as his face remained passive but felt her gut clench when she saw his gloved hand form a fist. At that moment she jumped from the bed and pressed her back to the wall, still clutching the sheet possessively to her chest.

"Sakura, sit down," Kakashi said with a hint of impatience.

She shook her head defiantly.

"No."

"Sakura, sit _down_." His tone was authoritive and reminded her of their first team mission when told them to run.

Her refusal must've pissed him off to such a considerable amount because the low tone he used next practically made her flinch.

"Everyone out. **Now**."

The other shinobi in the room hesitated at first before hurrying out the door. One remained at the door.

"Kakashi..."

"I said out, Genma," Kakashi spoke.

He heard a sigh and the door closed. Sakura was determined not to show her fear of her ex-sensei but when he started making slow, calculated steps towards her, well, he could be intimidating when he wanted to be, and he wanted to be at that moment.

"Sakura," he began.

She continued to try and stare him down, but the moment his fingers lifted his hitai-ate, her eyes widened in fear. **No way!** He would **not** use that on her! He couldn't!

"If you don't tell me what he did to make you betray us like you did, I'm just going to have to force it out of you."

* * *

Hiya everyone! Uh, sorry about the lateness of this chapter. I was in the hospital for a week and a half with an incredibly severe kidney infection. It has some long name that starts with a P and I'm not going to attempt to spell it out for you. I tried to write in the hospital but if the nurses weren't sticking me with needles or shoving four or five IV's into me, I was asleep. I spent the rest of the week recovering from the hospital before I went back to school. I then had to make up two weeks of work (a lot of which I kind of blew off since I've got the grades to pass the year even if I fail fourth quarter). Finally, after _that_, I had to study for finals which I pretended to do while I started writing for this story. For those of you who'd care to know, my final grades I received so far are:

Algebra: 83

Spanish 2: 86

Global: 97

English: 92

Yeah, so there you go. Just a warning, this chapter is short, yes, but the next one, maybe even two won't be longer than about fifteen or sixteen pages but I'm trying to pull scenes from later chapters back a chapter or two so I can make the chapters longer. I apologize in advance. I may combine chapters 7 and 8, though, but only if you guys tell me to.

I did get a brand new computer! Yay me!

Yeah, so thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys totally kick ass and I love you all! And on that note, don't forget to review and tell me what's on your mind! How'd this chapter go? Tell me about it!

Till later,

Backlash Symphony


	7. Mistaken Future

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Mistaken Future

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Tainted Love" by Marilyn Manson

"The Lie" by Matthew West

"Ohio" by Bowling for Soup

"Take me Away" by 4 Strings

"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne

"Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tainted Love" by Marilyn Manson, "The Lie" by Matthew West, "Ohio" by Bowling for Soup, "Take me Away" by 4 Strings, "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne, "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

**WARNING**: There is a **very small** amount of non-con in this chapter, but **nothing more **than kissing.

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**Lady Jaja**

**camille Bianca**

**animeaddict99**

**Elena Unduli**

**Senyor Fier Mensheir**

**Rhonda21**

**Luv's-lyric**

**Rinnah15**

**Rogue Riley 666**

**ghettofabgurl89**

**-Sapphire-Onyx-**

**xLycia**

**Dark x Sorrow**

**sting-like-a-bee**

**Marsgoddess1**

**Nicola**

**Saikio**

**Demon King Piccolo**

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Lady Jaja**: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**camille Bianca: **Tragic, yes, how tragic? Depends on how far you read.

**animeaddict99**: Thank you!

**Elena Unduli**: You'll see just keep reading! Thank you! It took a bit to plan those parts out. The kid scene was a fun part to write because I had the opportunity to have Orochimaru holding a kid.

**Senyor Fier Mensheir**: Yep! I know how to speak Spanish!

**Rhonda21**: Yes, from this point on, it's all action!

**Luv's-lyric**: Thank you! It took a bit of work but it worked out, apparently!

**Rinnah15**: Your first? Really? Well thank you!

**ghettofabgurl89**: Thank you!

**-Sapphire-Onyx-**: Yep! Thank you! I had the opportunity to have the kid scene and I went for it! I thought it was cute…

**xLycia**: I thought the same until I started writing about it. I try to make all the pairings I use work so I'm glad you liked it!

**Dark x Sorrow**: Thanks and you'll see.

**sting-like-a-bee**: Thank you!

**Marsgoddess1**: Thanks! It took some work but I pulled it off. Read on!

**Nicola**: Heh, Orochimaru is the best! I hate Sakura portrayed as someone weak because she has so much potential so I wanted her to be stronger. She just needed a boost, in my opinion.

**Saikio**: I'm glad you like the rarer pairings! I'm glad you love Oro/Saku! Have you tried Kisame/Sakura? I'm writing a one-shot for that pairing that I hope to be posting sometime soon.

**Demon King Piccolo**: Thank you very much!

* * *

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

:Flashback:

* * *

Timeframe: The Next Morning

* * *

The door to Tsuande's office opened. Frustrated, the honey-eyed woman lifted her head to glare at Shizune who threw an apologetic look towards Tsunade.

"Tsunade, there's someone here to see you," she said timidly.

Tsunade gave a harsh sigh and glared harder at Shizune.

"I told you I'm not talking to anyone unless they have information on Sakura so tell whoever it is-"

"He saw her on his mission to Mist, Tsunade," Shizune pressed, somewhat agitated herself.

"He what? Who's he? Send him in," Tsunade said quickly.

The door opened wider and a young man walked in.

"Tsuyoshi! You saw Haruno Sakura on your mission to Mist two days ago?" Tsunade asked sternly.

The man nodded.

"Yes, Lady Hokage. I saw her trying on dresses in a dress-shop on my way back from the drop-off point. Quite expensive, might I add," he began.

"And what did you do?"

"I walked inside and asked her why she was there but she brushed it off as a secret confidential mission that would get her in trouble if I mentioned to you that I saw her," he explained, voice dropping at the end and pausing as if wanting to say something.

Tsunade nodded her head as if telling him to continue.

"She said it was a mission given to her directly by you."

Tsunade interlocked her fingers beneath her chin, gazing at the floor.

"And you said that this was in Mist?" she clarified softly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Tsunade remained silent for many moments, her eyes closing.

"Thank you. You are dismissed."

Tsuyoshi nodded and turned to leave. When she heard the door closed she heard Shizune say something to her in a concerned voice, but the words didn't make sense in her mind. The only thing she could think about was the fact that not only did Sakura lie to her so she could leave the village, but she had a hefty amount of evidence to prove that not only had she left to be with Orochimaru but she had seen him multiple times since her 18th birthday and had known that these meetings would happen since she was 16. She just didn't understand how Sakura, the most intelligent kunoichi in the village, would go to Orochimaru, and even if it was for Sasuke, according to Ino she had fallen out of love with him and found someone new.

Found someone new.

Orochimaru!

Tsunade's eyes snapped open and she abruptly rose from her chair, slamming her hand down on the table.

"Shizune!"

The medic before her straightened her back, releasing her hold on TonTon.

"You are to gather Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, Shiranui Genma, and Hatake Kakashi and bring them to my office _immediately_!"

"Right away!"

Shizune was gone in a flash to release the bird to call upon the elites mentioned. Tsunade sunk into her seat, too distressed to even reach for a new bottle of sake.

"Sakura couldn't possibly have dropped her feelings for Sasuke because she fell in love with Orochimaru..."

The only thing she could do right now is send a squad out to retrieve Sakura and interrogate her when she was brought back. She forced herself back up and tried to do her work but that constant thought kept coming up again and again.

_Found someone new..._

* * *

Sakura's eyes opened to reveal pale muscled flesh to her emerald colored eyes. She gave a half smile and snuggled further into Orochimaru's chest, exhaling contentedly onto it as her arms tightened around his torso. Her eyes closed and she allowed the activities of last night to replay in her mind. There was no doubt in her mind that last night had been the best sex she'd ever had with him. She chuckled softly.

'He keeps on making it better and better,' she thought, noting how Inner Sakura still seemed to be basking in the memories.

She then felt the vibrations from the chest she was happily pressed againt and knew Orochimaru was now awake and laughing. The hand on the small of her back pressed her even closer while his other hand slid behind her shoulders and onto her roseate hair, stroking it gently. She gave a soft moan and was lulled back into sleep by the sweet gesture.

Orochimaru closed his eyes as well, deep in thought. When he had talked with Kabuto two evenings before, he had told him how sick he was of being nice. Those words could've held true until later, after he and Sakura had left and headed for the bridge.

The events that occured at that bridge had completely destroyed the entire day's work, where he first began to mess up his plan. The idea was to get her to remember what happened on that bridge. He wanted her to feel the pain she felt that day six years ago when her heart shattered for the first time when she thought Sasuke, the great Sasuke Uchiha, had fallen dead, and she was too late to save him. He had intended to make her feel that pain once again with the only thought of adding more weight to the incredibly sensitive subject, enough weight to force her to finally break down and cry.

He wanted to see those tears streaming down her face so he would know he had finally won an incredibly significant part of this battle. He wanted to see her body shake like it did when he brought her so close to her release, so close she screamed his name as if it would comfort her. He wanted to see those perfect legs of hers collapse from beaneath her, be brought close to her chest as she lie sobbing and broken on the bridge floor. He wanted to watch her break knowing it would bring him more pleasure than manipulating her body to meet with his in bed, against the kitchen wall, those wonderful places where her could force her to do anything with her body to his body, make her feel so good she'd beg him never to let it end but wish it would because her inexperienced body couldn't handle it.

But he messed up.

He suddenly felt pained. He couldn't stand to watch her cry over some spoiled brat whose only use to him was his Sharingan that he could have surgically removed if he felt like it. He wanted her to suffer, but to suffer because of Sasuke he refused to let happen. He wanted her to break by _his_ terms, and he immediately booted Sasuke from this part of the plan. He didn't understand why he said those words to her, why he brought her close. He didn't understand why he felt the need to press his lips to hers in a manner so gentle he never thought he was actually kissing her. He knew she was addictive but to be this sensitive was completely against everything he believed in. Better yet, it was _impossible_ for him to act like that.

:_"Everyone has goals, Sakura, and it seems that along the way, you've become one of them."_:

Yet he found himself drawing her even closer. He _needed_ her to know she could survive without Sasuke. Her first kiss had been taken from her by him purely with the intention of teaching her that Sasuke could never compare to him and that her heart may belong to Sasuke, but her body would always belong to _him_. Yet the way he was kissing her now should have been the way she experienced her first kiss. It should have been rough, dominating, but he could only force himself to be tender and gentle with her.

In a way it really was her first kiss. In a way he had honestly broken her, finally broken her. But _he_ had _mended_ her and he had to pay the consequences.

He had messed up once again when he miscalculated the amount of time he would have before he'd need another dose of Kabuto's near useless medicine to keep his arms intact until today. He ended up with the skin on his arms shedding off in layers. The hot water stung his damaged arms and the blood began to flow. He had figured she wouldn't notice but had forgotten for the moment that she wasn't Tsunade's apprentice for her waist size. She was of equal status medicine-wise with Tsunade, but her control and mental designs in her procedures were different and more effective. If given the right push, she could develop something extraordinary that would make Konoha nearly indestructible. Of course she would notice the smell of blood spreading throughout the room.

Then she had finally done it. She had performed the act he had wanted from her at the bridge. She had cried. What had put him in even more pain wasn't the fact that she was crying, but the fact that she was crying for _him_. She had let those beautiful crystalline tears spill from those dazzling jade eyes for _him_. That had hurt more than anything and he didn't know why. Then she stepped into the shower with him, not caring that the clothes she had on would be drenched. She held him and healed him and he had become incredibly angry with her.

Why?

He didn't know.

It might have been because he hadn't wanted her to know. He should've realized before that she was bound to notice he wasn't healed. It may have been because she was so damn innocent that she should have known not to agree to the deal back then. And then he realized the most probable reason for his anger was because he didn't want her to fall in love with him. She had no right to shed tears for him. She was falling for him, and not only was she believing in him as well, but she was dragging him down into something he _didn't_ have any knowledge of.

He knew how to manipulate people based on their emotions, to use them and then toss them aside, like he had with Anko, but he didn't know how to respond to such a grand emotion that was being given to him without a second thought. Loyalty, he understood, but the fact that he was helping someone cope with the loss of their loved one? Giving out support to someone who was hanging by a half cut thread on the edge of being broken? Absorbing the more than physical attraction of an incredibly innocent, sexy, and naive girl? No, _woman_?

What was wrong with him? He had created this plan with every intention of breaking such a fascinating creature as Sakura before persuading her to assist him in the destruction of Konoha, and here he was, unraveling his incredibly time-consuming plans thread by thread, helping her get stronger mentally, providing a source to vent her frustration, _cuddling_ with her for God's sake! This plan that he had spent six years creating with an additional two years of waiting and finishing the final details of was taking a turn he had not counted on, a turn that was slowly, but surely, dragging him in.

This was _not_ what he wanted and yet this was what he was getting for all of his hard work. One emotionally unstable, though slowly becoming stable thanks to him, pink-haired woman by his side and eight years of hard work down the drain. What the hell was he doing? He was wasting all of his time with her.

He sighed mentally. At least some of it was going right. He estimated that right about now Tsunade would have a team formed and ready for travel to find Sakura. He gave a small grin. He couldn't believe Sakura had actually thought he wouldn't find out about her visitor at the dress shop from Yuni. From what he figured the three ninjas that had fought his followers would have been sent to the hospital. Oh well. The less ninjas that he had to fight when the time came around, the easier it would be for him.

* * *

"You have all been called here because we have received the most recent location of Haruno Sakura," Tsunade began, slowly pacing behind her desk, eyes downcast.

Asuma, Kurenai, Genma, Kakashi, and Shizune stood in a line before her, each dressed in traveling clothes with small packs at their feet.

"I do not know if she will still be there which is why you are to move as quickly as possible and only rest if necessary," Tsunade continued.

The group nodded.

"Your mission is to travel to the Hidden Mist Village and set up in the first inn you see in the event that Sakura attempts to escape upon noticing your arrival. She may be in the process of leaving the village to head back here knowing the time frame of Ino's last mission. If you see her, split up and send two of you, preferably you two, Asuma and Shizune, to capture her. Orochimaru will most likely be with her so I want three of you hidden. It won't do very good considering he is of a higher power than all of you and he will notice you quickly after being discovered but it's worth a shot in the event he also tries to escape," she explained.

"And if he wishes to engage us in battle?" Kakashi questioned.

"Then you get Sakura and get out of there. I doubt he will try anything with Sakura watching but he might leave her to fend for herself. Be careful and make sure you bring her back _alive_. Understood?"

Five responses of, "Yes, Lady Hokage," filled the room and she nodded her dismissal. The five elites fled the room and headed for the gate, already heading at break-neck speed to Mist. Asuma took the lead with Kurenai behind him. Shizune moved behind Kurenai with Kakashi following Shizune. Genma held the end of the line.

* * *

Sakura looked at Orochimaru out of the corner of her eye. He was walking so close to her that their shoulders brushed. What her hand kept bumping into was his and right now she wanted to wrap her hand around his. She wanted their fingers together or even to have his arm draped around her shoulders, her waist, _something_ to support their fiancé facade. She kept telling herself to just go for, just slide her hand into his and lock their fingers together, make them look like a real couple.

She was afraid. What if he pulled his hand away? What if he pulled his whole body away? Or yelled at her?

'Just do it and find out!' Inner Sakura screamed, sick of hearing the thoughts bouncing back and forth.

Sakura exhaled and hesitantly reached her hand closer to his, and within a few seconds she touched the skin. She withdrew instantly but reached over and tried again, this time successfully holding his hand. Her heart beat fast and pounded in her chest as she prayed he wouldn't move his hand. Then his fingers _did_ move, but rather than pull away, he tightened his hand around hers. Her fingers spread out and he slid his fingers through hers. Her heart nearly stopped and a gentle blush spread across her cheeks. Her lips tugged into a smile but she still couldn't bring herself to look at his face.

It somehow still felt as though it was a dream, that Orochimaru would never _really_ interlock his fingers with hers.

'Well, I guess there are such things as small miracles!' she thought giddily.

"Oh! You two are _so_ cute together!" a voice from Orochimaru's right said adoringly.

The two turned their heads to see who it was, stopping in the process. They saw a woman who seemed to be in her mid thirties with a camera around her neck holding her hands together at her chest. Her eyes were bright, very bright, and blue. Those eyes would give Naruto a run for his money.

"Er, thank you," Sakura said, the blush on her cheeks darkening.

Orochimaru saw this and chuckled softly, his hand giving hers a small squeeze.

"Would you like to have some pictures taken, Sakura?" he asked, looking down at her embarrassed expression.

She turned to look at him, eyes pumping out shock at his question. Her whole expression screamed, "Really!" He nodded his head and gave her hand a tug. The two walked over to the lady and Orochimaru released Sakura's hand, draping his arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer into him. The woman nearly squealed at the action.

"How much for a picture?" he asked.

The woman shook her head.

"For such a cute couple like you two, six pictures for free!" she said joyously.

Sakura's smile brightened and Orochimaru allowed a smile, not a smirk, a _smile_, to grace his lips.

Sakura nearly melted at the sight.

"Alright, come right in and we'll pick a good background for you! Come, come!" the woman ushered the two into the building she stood in front of and Orochimaru dropped his hand down to Sakura's back, holding her close still at they followed the woman into a small room.

Sakura looked at the walls, each side a different color. She saw cameras on stands in the center of the room but in the very back of the room, what she saw made her gasp. There, painted on a large screen, was the most realistic painted ocean she had ever laid eyes on. She let out a small gasp as she saw the screen behind it which held an incredibly detailed beach.

"Did you paint all of these?" she asked in awe.

She woman nodded as she set up a camera facing the direction of the screens.

"Go back there and take a look at which ones you want. Take your time!" she said cheerfully.

Sakura nodded and she and Orochimaru headed back towards the screens. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the one with a cherry blossom tree on it. He knew it would be perfect for her. He tapped her back and the pointed to the screen. He saw her roll her eyes and smile.

"Alright, but is it alright for you?" she asked somewhat skeptically.

He nodded.

"We chose the one with the cherry blossom tree on it," Sakura said.

The woman nodded and came over to set everything up. Within five minutes Orochimaru and Sakura were in their first pose in front of the screen.

Sakura had her hip pressed against Orochimaru's with one arm behind his neck and the other with her hand resting over his chest. His one arm rested around her waist while the other rested over her hand on his chest.

The next photo had Sakura laughing as Orochimaru picked her up and held her bridal style. She was smiling when the picture was taken, as was Orochimaru.

Their third picture was also of Sakura being held bridal style, but with their lips pressed together.

The fourth picture had Sakura standing, pressed against Orochimaru's chest with his arms around her stomach and his head on top of Sakura's head.

The fifth picture also had Sakura laughing at the expression on Orochimaru's face when the woman suggested he pretend to give her a piggy-back ride. When the picture was taken, Sakura had a light blush across her cheeks and she was looking off to the side. Orochimaru had a grumpy expression on with the exception of the small quirk of his lips as he, too, looked off to the side.

Their final pose was Orochimaru pressing Sakura to him with her hands on his chest. Their lips were once again joined, but the 'love' in this kiss was shown.

Sakura pocketed the pictures and the two headed off to find a place for lunch. On the way, Sakura's hand met with Orochimaru's and the two laced fingers once again.

"I can't believe you chose a cherry blossom tree," Sakura said softly.

"And why is that?"

"I would've figured _you_ of all people would have guessed it by now," she said.

"Guessed? Guessed what?" he asked curiously.

"I hate cherry blossoms and cherry blossom trees."

He gave a short chuckle.

"You do now, do you? Why?"

"I hate being named after such a weak, fragile thing," she explained. "I may be weaker than a lot of people but I'm not the weakest. I know how to hold my own and I can punch pretty damn hard."

Orochimaru's brows furrowed and he turned his head to look at the disgruntled girl beside him. A small voice inside of his head began yelling at him to agree with her, to rub it in her face, but he knew that she was getting it all wrong.

"You're not quite getting it on the dot, Sakura," he corrected.

"Oh?" she said incredulously. "Pray tell, what're _your_ thoughts on cherry blossom trees?"

"Cherry blossom trees aren't just composed of cherry blossoms. There's still the trunk that you're disregarding," he began. "The blossoms are fragile, yes, but they are also beautiful. Though they fall off of the trees when it gets too windy or the weather gets too cold, the trunk and branches remain strong through bad weather, snow and rain, and even lightening. The blossoms represent the changes one goes through. With every new round of blossoms, the tree grows stronger and shows that it has won to gain another year despite its seemingly helpless mask of fragile cherry blossoms," he explained.

Sakura hung onto every word and burned the entire speech into her brain. Inner Sakura was busy marking down something on a sheet of paper.

'Hot body. Check. Passionate kisser. Check. Sex god. Check. Genius. Check. Sensitive. Check. Unpredictable. Check. Protective. Check. Available. Double check.' Inner Sakura scanned over the list before grinning. 'We have found Mr. Right!' Inner Sakura screeched, jumping up and down and flailing her arms in the air.

Sakura grinned at her thoughts and giggled.

"Thanks. You made a good point," she said happily.

Orochimaru smirked.

"Glad to hear it, blossom."

Sakura groaned.

"Oro_chima_ru!" she whined. "It still doesn't change the fact that I don't like being called that!"

Beneath the whine Orochimaru could see a smile forming, and suddenly, he felt happy. He felt happy because his plans were going _perfectly_.

* * *

Timeframe: The Next Day (Three PM)

* * *

Sakura stretched once again and yawned for what could have been the hundredth time that afternoon.

She was bored beyond relief, having already gone into town that morning and purchased two lengthy books, each over five hundred pages, in the hopes that she would be entertained for the rest of the day. However, five and a half hours later, the clock had hit one fifteen and she had completed the second book. She had spent the rest of the time pacing the room and staring out of the window. She had taken a relaxing bath and amused herself with the memories of her trip to Mist so far.

Apart from that, she'd been having terrible stomach pains all day. She had groaned this morning, hating that of all the random times of the year she would get her period, it just _had_ to be when she was enjoying herself the most. She figured she had until tomorrow before she would have the need for a tampon since the blood usually came within one to two days after the pain for her.

Now, once again, she was bored. This was the one time she wished she had Ino around to talk to. She couldn't wait to get home so she could find a good place to hide those pictures. Until then, she would go as far as to sleep with them tucked into her shirt. She would bathe with them sitting on top of the closed toilet seat. She refused to lose them or forget where she put them. They were her only hard evidence that what she was doing, what she had done, was real. That, and she had never seen Orochimaru smile before. With him it was always that smirk.

She gave a heavy sigh before deciding she would go out again. She moved to her bag to retrieve some clothes and changed into them, folding Orochimaru's shirt and her favorite boxers and placing them on the bed. Within a few minutes she was ready to go in a pair of jeans and a black tank top. She found a piece of paper and a pen and wrote out a short note to Orochimaru explaining that she would be going to the day spa he had shown her and that she would be back at five. With that she was on her way out the door.

She headed down the winding stairs and froze once she came to the third step from the bottom. Her eyes widened as she saw who was standing at the desk, a senbon needle moving from between his lips.

"Genma?" she asked, shocked.

The brown haired man stopped speaking and turned his head to see Sakura.

"My blossom!" he cried melodramatically, opening his arms out to her.

A smile lit up Sakura's face and she hopped over the three steps and ran at Genma, leaping into his arms. His arms closed around her, hugging her close.

"It's so good to see you again!" she cried out, watching for his needle so she wouldn't get poked with it.

Genma let her down and she took three steps back, smiling still.

"How many more days till you're back in Konoha?" she asked.

He shrugged.

"I'm taking my time so I'd say about three or four days," he said casually.

"Well then, I'll be seeing you then!" and Sakura headed for the exit.

Genma pouted.

"But I just saw you!" he whined.

"I've got an appointment with a client! I can't miss it!" she explained hurriedly. "See ya later, Genma!"

Sakura was out the door in less than a second and was racing to the day spa, thoughts going a million miles a second. The lady at the desk shook her head at Genma as he turned around.

"You'd do best to keep your distance from her and be careful when it comes to physical contact. Her fiancé may not like her that close to another man," she explained, reaching behind her for a key and then handing it to Genma.

Genma's face contorted in confusion.

"Fiancé? She's engaged?" he inquired.

She lady at the desk smiled happily and nodded.

"Oh, yes, to a _very_ lovely young man. Ryo Takahashi. It's a beautiful thing that kids so young found love. I do hope the two live happily together after the wedding. It'd be a shame to waste such youth and destroy such a beautiful girl's heart."

Genma's expression became grim for a second before he forced a happy expression back onto his face.

"Yes, indeed!"

Genma took the key and headed up to the room he and the others would be staying in. The information he had received matched up with the data he already had.

'So, Sakura, you really _have_ betrayed us...'

* * *

Sakura jogged through the streets, heading straight for the day spa. She needed to find Yuni and she needed to tell her everything. Yuni had predicted everything correctly. Yuni knew everything when it came to Orochimaru, and right now she needed to explain the events that happened and she needed to get Yuni to tell her where Orochimaru was. It wasn't a coincidence that Genma ended up in Mist. Tsuyoshi had to have told Tsunade he ran into her and she must have sent Genma and some others to bring her back.

The problem with that was if Genma was here, that meant other elites were here as well, and Tsunade knew well enough that someone who knew Sakura on a more personal level could get her to cooperate, which meant Kakashi had to be included. In other words, she didn't stand a chance in a fight with all of them and if she ran from Mist, not only would capturing her become easier to do without civilians around to interfere, but she nowhere to go. She needed to find Orochimaru!

She made a sharp turn into the building and spotted Yuni immediately at one of the desks in front of her.

"Yuni!" she cried, rushing to the desk.

Yuni looked up and her eyes widened upon the expression Sakura wore. She was breathing hard and fear had bled its way into her eyes, fear and desperation.

"Sakura! Oh my God, are you alright? What happened?" Yuni asked, immediately concerned.

"Where's Orochimaru! It's an absolute emergency and I need to see him! Please, Yuni, tell me where he is!" Sakura pleaded urgently.

Yuni seemed shocked for a moment before she walked around the desk and grabbed Sakura's wrist, dragging her into another section of the building. The two hurried down the hall and took a right before seeing three doors. Yuni led Sakura into the one farthest to the right and locked the door behind her. She flipped the light switch on and the room lit up only to reveal to Sakura that it was a bathroom.

"Why are we in a bathroom?" Sakura groaned, obviously frustrated.

Yuni walked over to the wall where, funny enough, a phone was situated. She pulled the receiver from the hook and dialed a number into the number pad. She leaned against the wall as the phone rang, eyes closed, completely relaxed, while Sakura was pacing and making incredibly sharp turns. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Sakura, someone answered the phone.

"Kabuto-sensei, where's Orochimaru?" she asked calmly into the phone.

Sakura strained her ears to hear but was caught on what Yuni called Kabuto.

"Kabuto-_sensei_?" she repeated in disbelief. "Kabuto? A sensei? Now I _know_ I've heard it all..."

"-mergency. Where is he?" Yuni seemed somewhat frustrated.

Sakura watched Yuni when she suddenly noticed an incredibly dark blush cover her cheeks.

"_S-Sensei!_" she cried, eyes flashing open.

Sakura heard a dark chuckle from the phone and could've sworn she heard "make" and something and then "scream" but that was it. It didn't take a genius to figure out what made her blush so hard and the implications of that statement. Sakura's eyes widened and her cheeks turned red as well. Yuni sent an apologetic glance Sakura's way and Sakura shook her head to tell her it was alright.

"Half an hour. I got it. Thank you sensei."

With that Yuni hung up the phone. She let out a sigh and her lips curved into a smile.

"Sensei means well but sometimes he, well," she gave a smile, "you understand," she explained.

Sakura nodded her head when suddenly her stomach started cramping painfully again, causing the pink haired girl to double over and gasp from the intensity. This alarmed Yuni who was at her side in an instant, supporting her by the shoulders.

"Sakura! What happened?"

Sakura shook her head as the pain subsided.

"I'm fine. It's just cramps. My period is coming up either tomorrow or the day after. Don't worry about it," Sakura reassured the girl.

Yuni looked skeptical.

"I don't know _what_ kind of cramps you have, but it really shouldn't hurt that much. Are you...sure it isn't because you might be...you know..."

Sakura looked confused for a moment but Yuni finally clarified, though in a meek voice.

"Pregnant..."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"No! Of course I'm not pregnant!" she exclaimed defensively.

Yuni looked at her strangely.

"When was the last time you had sex?" she asked.

Sakura blushed and tried to look away but she couldn't force herself to.

"Two nights ago..." she replied softly.

Yuni nodded and shoved a hand into her pocket, digging around for something.

"And have you bothered to check to see if you were pregnant since your first time with Orochimaru?" she queried.

Sakura shook her head, scrunching her nose up.

"No! I'm telling you, I'm _not pregnant_!" she said defensively, once again.

Yuni made a small sound and pulled her hand from her pocket revealing a pregnancy test in its original wrapper, untouched. Sakura literally jumped in the air and stumbled back a few feet.

"Why would you- why _do_ you- _where_ did you- What the _hell_ are you taking that out for!" Sakura screeched.

Yuni raised a brow and took a step forward, arm stretched out.

"I have to go back to report to Kabuto-sensei tonight. You heard him on the phone. Besides, I'm not one to really trust condoms so I always keep a few extras with me, though he can always check when we're finished," she explained like she was talking about the weather. "And you said it yourself, you haven't checked once since you've started having sex with Orochimaru. It wouldn't hurt just to make sure you aren't, would it?"

Sakura didn't budge from the wall, eyes still wide. She couldn't be pregnant, she knew that, but now that she thought about it, she hadn't taken any of Tsunade's pregnancy prevention potion and she hadn't used a condom. There was a possibility, but the symptoms wouldn't show up that quickly, would they? Of course not. She couldn't be pregnant. A part of her was telling her that she should check anyway. She didn't want to but she couldn't stop her hand from moving to take the offered test from Yuni's hand.

Yuni smiled and turned to the door, unlocking it.

"I'll be right outside the door. Call me when you're done."

With that Yuni left the bathroom and Sakura quickly locked it once she was gone. She knew what to do since she had helped Ino with it Ino's first time. She sighed and opened the wrapper. She sighed as she performed the rest of the tasks that needed to be done in order to give her the final result. With a flush of the toilet she set the test on the space next to the faucet where she washed her hands before heading to the door to unlock it.

Yuni took that as the sign to come back in and came through the door, locking it behind her. She leaned against the door and the two women stared at one another. Sakura reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out the six photos she had taken with Orochimaru, holding them out to Yuni. She took them and her face lit up with a smile as she looked at the first picture. Her smile grew wider as she flipped through all six photos and she looked up at Sakura with what seemed to be a grateful expression before handing the pictures back.

Sakura smiled as she placed the photos back into her pocket. Silence ensued but the words that came with the looks given to one another were good enough.

"You were right, Yuni," Sakura said, rubbing the back of her foot with the front of her other foot. "I guess I'm falling in love with him."

"It's hard not to, Sakura. You're not fighting it for the sake of your village anymore, but rather if he'll love you back or not. Right?"

Sakura nodded but her expression became troubled.

"Tsunade, the Hokage, discovered I was here and sent a team to bring me back. It turns out they're staying at the inn Orochimaru and I are staying in. I'm really worried because I don't want Orochimaru fighting. I healed the skin on his arms as best as I could but I don't know how long it'll be able to withstand chakra before it disintegrates."

Yuni tilted her head. Sakura seemed extremely worried about Orochimaru but she could still see the doubt in her jade eyes. Sakura really was more attentive than she thought. She seemed to be picking up the similarities to her fantasies as well as the lies behind the comfort, although she was taking the comfort regardless of the lies that fueled it.

"Check it. Time's up," Yuni said softly, looking at Sakura's reflection in the mirror behind her.

Sakura hesitantly turned to face the mirror before reaching a suddenly shaky hand down to the pregnancy test. She lifted it up so she could view it and her pupils dilated. Her hands loosened their grip on the plastic and Yuni saw Sakura's expression in the mirror. She barely made it in time to catch Sakura as her knees collapsed and she dropped the test into the sink. Sakura's head shook from side to side as she brought her knees up to her chest. Her body began to shake as tears filled up her eyes.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, n-no, no-o, n-n-o-o..." she sobbed.

Yuni held the shaking girl in her arms and gently rocked her from side to side, humming softly in her ear to calm her down.

'Well Orochimaru, you wanted her broken, so here it is. I just hope you can cope with such a giant change in the plans.'

Twenty minutes later and Sakura was slowly making her way back to the inn. She wiped away her tears for the millionth time as she walked through the door. The lady at the desk was gone once again and Sakura crawled her way up the stairs. She couldn't force her legs to support her weight any longer and she collapsed once again at the door, sliding down the wall. The tears built up too quickly and cascaded down her now incredibly pale face. Her sobs echoed in the hallway and not even a minute later, Orochimaru came up the steps only to find what he had desired so badly at the foot of the door.

A broken Haruno Sakura.

* * *

"Fiancé!" Shizune and Asuma hissed. "Why would she use _that_ excuse when she's capable of coming up with better ones!" Shizune added.

Kakashi kept his gaze on the floor as he sat on the bed, hand under his chin. His visible eye was open. So far he hadn't said a word until now.

"She didn't come up with that on her own. He made the reservations under his alias, Ryo Takahashi, and he used the transformation technique to change his appearance," Kakashi said calmly.

"What if she really is his fiancé? She really could be getting married to him," Genma said, voice showing he was convinced.

Shizune shook her head in disagreement.

"Sakura wouldn't _do that_, Genma!" she growled, fists clenched.

Kakashi sighed.

"We have to assume that Sakura is capable of doing _anything_," Kakashi said. "According to the facts-"

"According to the facts she's being _manipulated_, Kakashi!" Shizune protested angrily.

"Sakura wasn't about to betray Konoha for Sasuke so what makes you think she'd do it for Orochimaru!" Asuma added, frustrated.

"They have a point, Kakashi," Kurenai agreed, arms crossed.

"**Enough**!" Kakashi declared, shutting everyone up immediately. "According to the _facts_, Sakura made a deal with Orochimaru when she was 16 for the sake of Sasuke, what we can only assume meant bringing him back earlier. At 18, she gave up her virginity for purposes still unknown, but still presumably linked to Sasuke's return. Instead of closing the deal on her birthday, Orochimaru paid more visits to her during which we don't know what actually happened, only that the day after each new visit Sakura sought out Ino for advice on sex and men. He's obviously had something planned out since he knew Ino, Shikamaru, and Hinata had a mission. He sent some of his subordinates to deal with them so they would return, ruining Sakura's plans of returning at the same time," Kakashi recapped.

"So basically he _wanted_ her to be found out," Kurenai clarified.

Kakashi nodded.

"He's got something planned, something more than just the loss of her virginity for Sasuke's return. He wants something else from her..."

"Wait a minute, Kakashi," Genma said suddenly. "Sakura's medical skills are equal to, if not better than, Tsunade's, and we all know that Sakura thinks more out-of-the-box than Tsunade, right? She uses everything she sees to heal a patient when she can't do it with her chakra, right?" he questioned hurriedly.

The other people in the room nodded and Kakashi's eye snapped open.

"He wants her to heal him so he's making her fall in love with him so she'll betray Konoha, in effect making her a missing-nin with no place to hide but with him. He can easily persuade her to do some research and heal his arms once she's there. That means that with his arms healed..." Kakashi's thoughts became clear.

"He'll come back to destroy Konoha," Asuma finished.

"But he'll also have Sakura with him, fighting for him. Orochimaru is tough enough for Tsunade but if you add Sakura in the mix, she could not only defeat Tsunade, even with_out_ Orochimaru, but teamed with either him or Kabuto or even Sasuke, she could kill a dozen people in less than two seconds," Kakashi added, tone holding a deadly hint beneath it.

"We need to get her before it's too late," Shizune said fearfully.

It was then that the group heard a set of familiar sobs and they stopped talking, becoming completely silent.

"Is that...Sakura?" Asuma whispered.

Kakashi, Shizune, and Genma nodded and continued to listen.

* * *

"Sakura?" Orochimaru asked, slightly confused. "Sakura, what happened?"

She shook her head, opening and closing her mouth as she searched for the right words. What was she supposed to say? I'm in tears because Tsunade found out that I lied to her? I'm in tears because she found out I was with you? I'm in tears because I'm pregnant with your child? I'm in tears because I'm in love with you? What was she supposed to say? She didn't know. She was afraid to mention anything she had discovered that day. Apart from that, she knew Genma and the rest of the retrieval unit were somewhere on that floor and could hear her words easily enough.

"R-Room! _Now_! Oh, God, Orochimaru I need you _now_! Please!" she sobbed, hoping Orochimaru would see through the lie and get her into the room so they could talk.

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk and he knelt down on one knee to pick her up. He pinned her to the wall and brought his lips to her ear.

"They're here, right?" he whispered, gently sucking on a spot of skin beneath her ear that caused her to gasp and arch against his body.

"Y-Yes!" she replied, covering the answer up by saying it as a moan.

"Looks like we're going to need to take care of this problem of yours," he said with a chuckle. "The wall seems ideal right now but we've already claimed one wall in your house. We've taken care of the shower here so I don't see why the bed wouldn't be a bad place. I'm sure your back will need something soft to arch against, after all."

Sakura shot him a pained tear-filled glare as he unlocked the door to their room, bringing her in with him before closing the door and locking it once again. His expression became a bit more serious but still held the smug look he usually had. He walked over to the bed, leaning against the post. His hands performed some seals that Sakura recognized as the ones used for genjutsu. Her sobs slowed but were still impossible to stop.

"Yuni explained to me that the Konoha shinobi arrived to take you back," he said carefully. "I know for a fact that you wouldn't get so worked up over something as pitiful as that. What are you hiding from me?"

The room became silent minus the exception of Sakura's crying. Her mouth opened once again but she couldn't find the words to say. She was too scared of what his reaction might be. She didn't think she could handle it if he walked out on her. That would mean not only was he leaving _her_ to deal with the child, but also having to find a way to explain herself to the team that would take her back to Konoha and Tsunade. She didn't know how to put it, she really didn't, but the first thing that forced its way to the top of her mind was what came out of her mouth.

"You're a father," she whispered, eyes squeezing shut as more tears poured out.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed at those words. His heart began to beat madly in his chest. His throat suddenly felt like sandpaper.

'She didn't just say what I thought she just said, did she?'

"What did you just say?" he asked, voice demanding but still soft.

"Y-You're a fath-th-er!" she sobbed, falling to her knees.

Orochimaru stood there, staring at the shaking and crying girl on the floor. She was the perfect picture of a broken doll, the perfect picture he had wanted. But now, now that he had seen what something like this would do to her, he wanted nothing to do with being the cause of it. A father? Him? Some father he would be! Some role model he would be! Sure, he _looked_ cute holding Naori in his arms but he didn't enjoy it. He was only doing it because the girl wouldn't let go of him. And now he had to deal with a pregnant Sakura when Kabuto had assured him that the jutsu would _prevent_ anything like this from happening.

"Sakura," he said calmly, walking the few steps over to her body, watching her tense as the feeling of fear permeated the room.

He crouched down and brought a hand out to stroke the top of her head affectionately, though on the inside his fingers were burning at the sweet contact. She lifted her head up to see him and he couldn't help but present her with his trademark smirk and a chuckle to go with it. He reached over with his other hand and wiped away her tears, watching as her eyes widened and confusion and relief fought for dominance in her eyes.

"Get changed for bed. I know it's early but you need all the rest you can get. I'll be in the bathroom but I'll be back out to join you," he said with a sigh.

Sakura stared at him as he got up and headed for the window, drawing the curtains before turning to go to the bathroom. Sakura stared at the door as it shut and then replayed the last thirty seconds in her head.

'He's...not mad?'

Sakura gave a relieved smile and hastily wiped away her tears, shakily standing on her feet and heading for the edge of the bed, quickly emptied her pocket of the pictures before inserting them into a hidden pocket in her folded boxers. She stripped from her out clothes, keeping her bra and panties on, before sliding into her black boxers and Orochimaru's navy blue shirt. She lifted the material of the shirt to her nose and inhaled deeply, loving the fact that she was wearing something that smelled like him. It soothed her, his scent of apple blossoms with a faint hint of fresh grass, and to know that he wasn't mad at her gave her the most relief she'd ever felt in her life.

She lost herself in the smell when Orochimaru's hands closed over her shoulders.

"Looks good on you," he murmured in her ear. "Now get into bed."

Sakura nodded softly and headed for the bedside, pulling back the covers and sliding underneath them, their cool feeling soothing against her warm skin. She felt the bed dip with Orochimaru's added weight when she felt a heat settle against her back and an arm slide over her side to rest over Sakura's stomach. His hand gave it a gentle pat before whispering into her ear.

"We'll deal with it," he assured her, and Sakura felt so tired all of a sudden.

She drifted off to sleep, the last thing on her mind the fact that she had definitely fallen in love with a lie and that this baby just might be the thing that saves her from suicide. Little did she know, this baby had nearly completely destroyed _every_ part of the plan Orochimaru had created, but with a quick adjustment in some of the final parts of his plans, this baby was the only thing holding it together.

* * *

Sakura couldn't explain it. She didn't know how to. It was as if someone was repeatedly poking her in the back of the head. It felt as if an alarm was blaring directly next to her ears, the vibrations attacking her body mercilessly. She didn't want to get up, however, and snuggled deeper within herself. But still, her _senses_ told her to get her ass up _that instant_ and see just what was waiting for her. She groaned softly and opened her eyes only to find that it was dark in the room.

"How long was I asleep for?" she muttered to herself.

"They could've already killed you by now, _Blossom_," a man's voice spoke into her ear while a _very_ male body became pressed against her back.

Sakura's eyes shot open and she tried hard to adjust them to the darkness. Looking towards the door, she spotted a silver bush.

'Kakashi...'

A few feet to his left was a petite woman with red eyes.

'Kurenai...'

A few feet to her left she saw a large outline, broad-shouldered.

'Asuma?'

To his left was another female, hands glowing with chakra.

'Shizune...'

Turning to face Orochimaru, who was in the process of sitting up, revealed another male by the window where some moonlight was streaming through the curtains to reveal...a senbon?

'Genma...'

The room suddenly lit up and Sakura hissed, bringing her hand up to shield her eyes. Apart from that bit of emotion, Sakura didn't seem to do much. Once Orochimaru had mentioned, or hinted, that they were in the room, she had been on alert, but the Sakura everyone knew would've started to blabber and stutter and try to make up an excuse. She simply sat there, looking from one person to the next. She met eyes with Kakashi and felt Orochimaru's arms tighten, though not uncomfortably, around her stomach, resting his head on her shoulder. Kakashi's eyes narrowed and Sakura heard a growl come from Genma.

"She already healed him, Kakashi!" Shizune said in disbelief.

Sakura looked confused.

"Huh?"

Looking down, she saw Orochimaru's arms, the skin as normal as anyone else's.

'Healed him already? What are they talking about?' Sakura thought, confused.

"I didn't heal anybody. What are you accusing me of _now_?" Sakura asked, slightly flustered.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Sakura's abdomen and she made an attempt to double over, but Orochimaru's arms held her. Her face contorted in pain and she gave a cry, and Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Shizune all caught the impossibly rapid flash of concern in Orochimaru's golden eyes. Sakura grit her teeth and tried to relax but the pain wasn't giving any.

"Damn it! It hurts!" she groaned.

One of Orochimaru's hands pulled away to rub the back of her shoulder.

"It's throbbing! It hurts so much!"

Her breath came out in pants.

"I know it does, just take deep breaths and the pain will subside," he said calmly, fingers still smoothing over her shoulder. "Just relax. Listen to my voice."

Sakura's face softened a bit and her breathing slowed. The pain began to ebb and Sakura breathed in deeply as her body relaxed against Orochimaru. His hand slid down from her shoulder and reappeared at her stomach.

"Better?"

She nodded, face clearly relaxed and settled now.

"Was he…on her shoulder?" Kurenai pointed.

Kakashi forced himself to remain calm but knowing that Sakura might just have the Cursed Seal angered him beyond belief.

"Haruno Sakura, you are wanted for treason and are to come back to Konoha with us willingly to undergo interrogation from the Hokage," Kakashi said in a commanding voice.

Sakura rolled her eyes and gave a half snort, half laugh.

"And if I decide I don't want to go back? What will you do then, _sensei_?"

"If you fail to be civil we will be forced to restrain you. Don't make this hard on yourself, Sakura."

A flash of fear came over her face at the thought of fighting these people, her ex-sensei especially. She didn't know how much chakra usage it would take to Orochimaru's arms before the skin started to fall off and she didn't want him fighting her battle, either. She gave a defeated sigh, her old self coming back. It seemed that only around Orochimaru could she really be uncaring, with the exception of the forehead incident, but that was more personal than anything else.

"You're missing a button on each cuff of your _shirt_, Orochimaru," she said softly, leaning further back into him and interlocking the fingers of both hands over her exposed stomach. "I'm not so sure I'll have another chance to sew the buttons back on again." Her eyes slid to the side and made contact with his. "Besides," she continued, "we both know what happened last time Kabuto tried to sew..."

He seemed to understand where her thoughts were headed and she was glad he could pick up on such things. He gave her a small nod before releasing one hand from hers to hold her head in place while he planted a kiss on her lips. A gasp was heard from Shizune and her eyes widened.

"I'll be back for you," he whispered in her ear and a dreamy smile spread over her lips.

Orochimaru disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Sakura to fend for herself. She wrapped her fingers around a loose sheet and brought it around herself, holding it to her chest. She didn't look like she was going to move anytime soon, defiance blatant in her emerald eyes. She could see Kakashi losing more and more of his control by the second.

"Sakura, let's go," he commanded.

Sakura remained sitting. She wasn't moving. If she had to move he would just have to walk his ass over and drag her off the bed.

"Sakura, _now_."

She shook her head.

"No."

"Why did you betray us?" he asked.

"It wasn't betrayal," she corrected.

"Sakura..." Kakashi warned, "tell me."

"No."

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Sakura gave a harsh laugh.

"No, of course not. I mean, it was _his_ name I was screaming, after all."

She knew she was pushing it but this was Kakashi. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? Would he? She watched as his face remained passive but felt her gut clench when she saw his gloved hand form a fist. At that moment she jumped from the bed and pressed her back to the wall, still clutching the sheet possessively to her chest.

"Sakura, sit down," Kakashi said with a hint of impatience.

She shook her head defiantly.

"No."

"Sakura, sit down." His tone was authoritive and reminded her of their first team mission when told them to run.

Her refusal must've pissed him off to such a considerable amount because the low tone he used next practically made her flinch.

"Everyone out. _Now_."

The other shinobi in the room hesitated at first before hurrying out the door. One remained at the door.

"Kakashi..."

"I said out, Genma," Kakashi spoke.

He heard a sigh and the door closed. Sakura was determined not to show her fear of her ex-sensei but when he started making slow, calculated steps towards her, well, he could be intimidating when he wanted to be, and he wanted to be at that moment.

"Sakura," he began.

She continued to try and stare him down, but the moment his fingers lifted his hitai-ate, her eyes widened in fear. No way! He would not use that on her! He couldn't!

"If you don't tell me what he did to make you betray us like you did, I'm just going to have to force it out of you."

Sakura dove to the side but Kakashi was faster and he pinned her squirming body to the bed, effectively sliding a knee between her knees. The only thing protecting her from touching her body was the sheet and Orochimaru's shirt. At the rate Kakashi was going, that shirt would be ripped and she didn't want that to happen. He pinned her arms above her head and ripped the sheets away, bunching them around her waist. Realizations truck her at what he was planning to do and she thrashed wildly, tears filling her eyes as she watched Kakashi's determined gaze on her chest.

"Kakashi! No! Please don't do this," Sakura pleaded.

Her pleas were on deaf ears and she was mortified when Kakashi's fingers looped around his mask, pulling the material down and revealing what she'd been denied view to her entire time knowing Kakashi. She knew he was serious about what he was about to do for he _never_ showed his face under _any_ circumstances.

A good idea I never let you see my face before. It makes this so much easier for me."

Sakura watched in fascination as his formed each word, like she'd never seen someone speak before. She was amazed by the sounds his mouth made and found that his face was as flawless and smooth as she'd ever seen a male's face be. The skin seemed so feminine while the facial structure seemed so masculine. He was perfect if you want both sexes. However, when what he said suddenly clicked in her mind, her thrashing renewed and a new wave of terror washed over her as she watched his beautiful lips curl into a malicious smirk. It was an expression that she couldn't even imagine on Itachi's face when he murdered his clan.

"Where shall I start, Sakura? Hm, how about we start with the basics and work our way up?" he chuckled a bit. "Or in this case, down."

Sakura's chest constricted, forcing her to lose her plea for him to stop when his lips roughly pressed against hers. She gasped and he took the invitation to bring his tongue into her mouth, curling around hers and forcing her to respond. She tried to think and tell herself that he was a horrible kisser, an ugly man was a runny nose, anything to keep her body from responding, but it was all a lie and she couldn't stop it. She felt Kakashi smirk against her lips.

And that was when she felt the fingers beneath her shirt, resting on her stomach.

"I didn't betray you, alright! I only did it to get Sasuke back!" she cried out, hoping Kakashi would buy it.

Tears filled her eyes and she continued.

"I just wanted him back sooner! Orochimaru told me he would shorten the amount of time it took to train Sasuke if I slept with him on the night of my 18th birthday! He kept showing up after that and I thought that if I kept it up, he would continue to train Sasuke more and more so he would arrive back in Konoha sooner!"

Kakashi thought carefully about it and nodded. He focused his Sharingan eye onto one of hers.

"Go to sleep, Sakura."

The tomoes swirled and Sakura found herself falling asleep before she could even protest. Kakashi sighed and lifted her body up, heading out the door and outside.

"Let's head back to Konoha," he directed and they all began to move.

"What did you find out?" Genma queried, taking the slumbering girl from Kakashi's arms.

"She's caught in the lie that Orochimaru created as well as the lie she created to protect herself from being hurt by Orochimaru."

Genma nodded, pretending to understand what Kakashi had just told him, but more worried about what Kakashi had actually _done_ to Sakura that made her scream the way she did.

* * *

**Chapter 8 Preview**

* * *

Sakura waited in the room for about an hour before the door opened again and none other than Ibiki Morino walked in, his cape flowing menacingly behind him. Sakura shot him a bored glance before noticing he held some folders in his hand. He walked silently to the table ten feet in front of Sakura and set the folders down, spreading them out. Immediately Sakura conjured an image of Orochimaru sitting in a chair next to the table, watching her. She felt more relaxed by the second.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you would run off with an S-Class criminal, on the top of the wanted list, nonetheless," Ibiki began, body turned at the side.

"Funny, I've been thinking the same thing since this whole thing started," Sakura replied calmly with an underlying amusement. "The benefits are worth it, though."

"What happened to the little pink-haired girl who loved the Uchiha brat?" he questioned with every intention of making her defend Sasuke.

Sakura merely gave a dark laugh, one that didn't match her at all.

"She died and was replaced with someone stronger when Orochimaru took the place of the _Uchiha brat_," Sakura explained with amusement blatant in her voice now.

:…:…:…:

"We're friends, Sakura! Friends stick together by supporting each other! No matter what you decide to do, I'll be right here, supporting you all the way!" Ino stressed, shaking Sakura by the shoulders.

"Ino?" Sakura asked, confused.

This couldn't be the same girl Sakura had known since she was little girl.

"I can't make the choice for you, but I can tell you right now that not seeing you yet knowing you're happy is, and always will be, better and more satisfying that seeing you every day looking like you're going to commit suicide!"

"But you could-"

"I've _been_ happy, Sakura! I've found the right one for me! It's your turn to be happy now. Follow what your heart says, think about how you're going to help your heart go through with that choice."

Sakura felt that Ino had never made more sense in her life. The problem still remained that Ino and Naruto were her best friends and that by becoming a missing-nin, either one or both of them might be sent after her to kill her. that meant that she would have to attempt to kill one of them and she didn't want to do that. Yet Ino was standing there, shaking her, telling her to go to Orochimaru and be _happy_. She really wanted to, honestly, but Ino might change her tune when she hears about the baby.

Sakura sighed. It was either now or never, or she would find out in a way Sakura wasn't comfortable with.

"Ino..."

"Yeah forehead?"

"There's...something else you need to know..."

* * *

**100 Reviews! I actually hit 100! Thank you guys SOOO much for reading this story and reviewing! I honestly never expected to get many reviews or even many readers because of this pairing being so rare! Thank you SO much!**

So here's chapter 7! I finished writing up to chapter 10, including last chapter, in three days so the updating should be speeding up! I really can't wait to post chapter 8. It's going to be great! Everything's out in the open, right? Don't forget to review and tell me how I'm doing! Till later!

Backlash Symphony


	8. Save Me From Another Heartbreak

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Save Me From Another Heartbreak

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Angels" by Within Temptation

"Again + Again" by Jewel

"I Did It" by Dave Matthews Band

"Sweet Dreams" by Marilyn Manson

"On My Own" by The Barlow Girl

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Angels" by Within Temptation, "Again + Again" by Jewel, "I Did It" by Dave Matthews Band, "Sweet Dreams" by Marilyn Manson, "On My Own" by The Barlow Girl, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

**WARNING**:** Sakura will be a little OOC this chapter but it's something that is required to show Orochimaru's effect on her. Some swearing.**

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**Rhonda21**

**Sabaku-No-Ardent**

**Luv's-lyric**

**evilteddybear**

**Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi**

**Anime and Manga Girls**

**Genaric Person**

**Artemis**

**Sexy.Black.Neko**

**Sora Inu-chan**

**Marsgoddess1**

**Itachi's Wifee**

**Rusheen**

**Tofu-Master**

**Ayla Curtis**

**read-n-review**

**emir**

**Dark x Sorrow**

**Rachael**

**Demon King Piccolo**

**Elena Unduli**

**Rinnah15**

**Lady Seiryu**

**Saikio**

**SweetDreams11**

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Rhonda21:** I love Kakashi but I had to have him act the way he did. Now that Sakura is pregnant she's going to have a tough time with it all. Aw, thank you!

**Sabaku-No-Ardent**: Oro-baka? -Begins laughing uncontrollably- That's pretty much just as good as hearing Sasuke get called an emo bastard. Anyway, thank you very much!

**Luv's-lyric**: Very interesting twist, indeed. You'll have to read and see!

**evilteddybear**: Heh, yeah. Well, the fact that you're reading my work is a good enough excuse for me! Thanks!

**Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi**: Ah, no problem! I'm all better now! -Dances around- Lemon Queen! Lemon Queen! Awesome! Er, am I really that good? Thanks! My biggest fan! Yes! I've got a biggest fan! Wahoo! -Coughs- Anyway, yes, up to chapter 10, and you'll just have to wait "oh-so-impatiently" till next chapter. Thanks!

**Anime and Manga Girls**: Yeah, no problem! Thanks a lot for reading, for agreeing with my choice of a pairing, and for allowing me to know that there is another Orochimaru lover in the world! Thanks for the review!

**Genaric Person**: Thanks, and really? Yeah! I got another one! Thanks a lot!

**Artemis**: Yeah, and she is! Heh, not a problem. I just hope I got his reaction alright, but I really don't know. Ah, yes, I'm afraid it was something I needed to do, though I love Kakashi dearly! It was important, in its ow little twisted way...So yeah, thank you very much, and the Kisame/Sakura fic is up! Has been up, anyway, so, yeah!

**Sexy.Black.Neko**: Ah, thank you! I'm glad you got to like him better! -Dreamy sigh- I feel so accomplished now that I've gotten someone else to like him just a little bit more! Thanks for the review!

**Sora Inu-chan**: Really? More addicted? Heh, sweet! Aw, thank you!

**Marsgoddess1**: I hope Orochimaru came out right because it was difficult to imgaine him in a situation like the one he was in. Ah, yes, Kakashi, er, well, his behavior was needed. We'll leave it at that. Sasuke will appear next chapter and Kabuto will have his thoughts spread out, though probably centered more around chapter 10. You did? Really? Well, no one seems to write a lot of those pairings and just like this fic I was afraid no one would read it. However, I've gotten more reviews than I thought I would and more fans, so maybe it'll work out! Thanks again!

**Itachi's Wifee**: Thank you very much!

**Rusheen**: I'm leaning towards a girl, but it'll be finalized in chapter 10.

**Tofu-Master**: Is Orochimaru falling in love with Sakura? Good question. However, you'll just have to keep reading to find out! Also, it'll be about eleven chapters with an epilogue.

**Ayla Curtis**: Ah, thank you! That would be a very good point but he's still in the original body he was born in. I apologize for not clarifying that Kabuto fixed him up enough that he never changed bodies. But no problem! I'm actually really glad that you thought of something like that! I never would've expected it, so thanks for making me think a little about it! Thank you again!

**read-n-review**: Aw, thank you! Ah, heh heh...yeah, in all honesty I wrote it with every intention of it being completely sex but then I thought some more about it and I figured it would be a nice challenge to see if I could make them into a pairing, a real one. So I surprised myself, as well, with the plot formation. I amaze you? Thanks! And yes, Sasuke and Sakura will see each other next chapter! Thank you very much for the enthsiastic review!

**emir**: Thank you!

**Dark x Sorrow**: Yes! Be glad that you are now, for that's all I really have any ideas I can write about, just know that there really aren't very many stories to read...-sigh- I wish more people would write about it! Thanks!

**Rachael**: Yes, yes, Chi-Kun is gonna be a daddy! Thanks! Uh, Kakashi is mine to use and manipulate however I deem fit. So...yeah, he can be evil, I suppose, and besides, there's got to be more behind his relationship with Sakura! Thanks!

**Demon King Piccolo**: Ah, thank you! As for the fight part, that's reserved for chapter 10, and I want you to promise me that when you read it, you'll dismiss all of your thoughts on the fight until you **_finish reading the chapter_**. Other than that, enjoy this chapter!

**Elena Unduli**: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

**Rinnah15**: Yup! Chi-Kun is a daddy, now! Thanks!

**Lady Seiryu**: Yeah, but Kakashi was evil for a purpose, and I love Kakashi as well. Yup! She's pregnant! Thanks!

**Saikio**: Thank you very much!

**SweetDreams11**: Thank you! I hope I did a good job with Orochimaru because it was really hard to figure out how his mind would work around everything. Thanks again!

* * *

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

:Flashback:

* * *

Sakura realized, with a not so comfortable position her body was in, that she had been doing a lot of sleeping this past week. More than that, ever since Orochimaru came to close their deal on her 18th birthday. That was what, two and a half, three months ago? Yes, she had been sleeping a lot more than she normally did, and not only was she going to sleep earlier, -or at least when Orochimaru _didn't_ give her surprise visits-, and she had been waking up much later. Noon seemed to be her favored waking hour as of late. Once again she thought to herself that she would never have imagined Orochimaru would be a late sleeper. She giggled softly at the thought.

'Same thing goes for the boxers!' Inner Sakura said, laughing.

Footsteps suddenly echoed, the sound nearly causing Sakura to jump. She heard the footsteps stop just as quickly as they began and the jingling of keys met her ears. There must've been a door somewhere in front of her and as she made a moved to stand, she realized something incredibly cold holding her wrists to the wall behind her. She moved her foot as if to stretch it and found that she couldn't move it more than about two feet in front of her for they were chained as well. Sakura didn't know whether she should feel special because they thought she was strong enough to break out or disappointed because this was how all people accused of treason -or any other form of serious crime- were treated.

The door opened and a bright light nearly blinded her as it shone a pathway towards her. She quickly squinted her eyes, shying away from the light as her eyes slowly became used to the brightness. When her eyes finally adjusted, she realized there was a man walking towards her with a mask on his face, half of the mask, however, was blue, and the other half the usual white. She narrowed her eyes at the man as he reached into his pocket to produce what looked to be another key, though it was glowing with blue chakra and seemed to be made from blue chakra. A confused expression came over her face. Sure, she had _heard_ of chakra keys before but she had always thought the key would be a key with chakra on it, not something this literal...

The Anbu man unlocked her wrists and Sakura smartly remained quiet and calm. She rubbed her wrists to rid herself of the sudden ache in them as he moved to unlock her ankles. As soon as he finished that task, he roughly grabbed Sakura by the wrists she was tending to and hauled her to her feet. Before she could even let out a cry of protest, the hands on her wrists glowed with chakra and Sakura felt an incredibly brief bit of pain before it disappeared as soon as it came. He released her wrists and gave her a shove towards the door.

Sakura took a look at her arms and her eyes widened when she what was there. Her left wrist had a pale green band that seemed to be tattooed into her skin with markings that spread along her entire arm. She recognized these markings as the ones Kakashi had used on a mission to the Grass village to lock an enemy-nin's chakra into his body so he couldn't use it. She gave a strange smile, like it was twisted, yet she was enjoying something. She looked at her right arm and saw the same markings but the band at her wrist was blue rather than green.

It didn't take a genius to figure out the meaning of the difference in colors. Green represented her healing chakra and was on her left arm because she produced more chakra as a medic in that arm for some reason. That also applied to her right arm but because she used more blue chakra in that arm. If she tried to do any medical jutsu she wouldn't be able to make complete seals and the same went for ninjutsu and genjutsu.

'Looks like they _are_ taking me seriously,' she thought, amused.

As she was escorted down the halls, she felt a twinge of nervousness. If they were going to treat her like the criminal they performed these acts to then wouldn't that also mean that she would be interrogated the same way? The twinge grew into a full blast of worry. If that was true, they wouldn't give her someone simple who would get frustrated and they wouldn't find someone who would abuse her physically. The worry then changed to fear. Would they have Kakashi interrogate her? She shivered at the thought. She couldn't think of anyone else other than Ibiki Morino and she didn't know which one of the two she would rather have. Kakashi had that terrifying Sharingan and Ibiki knew how to screw with people's minds more efficiently than anyone Sakura knew of.

The confidence she had when they had captured her had crumbled the second Kakashi revealed his Sharingan. Now she knew that they were taking her seriously and absolutely _refused_ to disappoint them. Orochimaru gave her a type of confidence she'd never had before. If she kept thinking that he was in the room with her, watching her, she could pull this off. This confidence that grew within her felt amazing. She didn't want to let go of it. If it was going to bring her any closer to Orochimaru, she would slap Kakashi across the face for what he did at the inn in Mist. She laughed softly. If she had to play the part of the overconfident, arrogant, and sadist like Sasuke and Orochimaru, then she would do it.

She would show the people of Konoha that the Haruno Sakura they once knew didn't exist any longer. She was sick of being weak, sick of being underestimated, and she was sick of being pitied. If she did get Ibiki Morino and she survived his interrogation without a single tear shed, she would win. She would beat the system. She would prove her existence, something she had never really thought to do until she had met Orochimaru. The rest of the way to the interrogation room, Sakura reviewed the characteristics of her new role and by the time they reached the room, her body was on the same line as her mind and Haruno Sakura was completely confident and full of herself with the body language to assist the attitude.

The Anbu member who brought her to the room settled her in a chair and slid a belt-like restraint around her arms and upper stomach, right beneath her chest. Her legs were separated and her ankles were tied to one leg each. Her hands couldn't move all that much since the strap near her chest held her arms down by her elbows. However, her hands were slipped into glove-like restraints that were attached to the chair. Sakura tried to move experimentally and found herself secured in the chair. She laughed mentally and waited for the Anbu man to leave the room.

Sakura waited in the room for about an hour before the door opened again and none other than Ibiki Morino walked in, his cape flowing menacingly behind him. Sakura shot him a bored glance before noticing he held some folders in his hand. He walked silently to the table ten feet in front of Sakura and set the folders down, spreading them out. Immediately Sakura conjured an image of Orochimaru sitting in a chair next to the table, watching her. She felt more relaxed by the second.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you would run off with an S-Class criminal, on the top of the wanted list, nonetheless," Ibiki began, body turned at the side.

"Funny, I've been thinking the same thing since this whole thing started," Sakura replied calmly with an underlying amusement. "The benefits are worth it, though."

"What happened to the little pink-haired girl who loved the Uchiha brat?" he questioned with every intention of making her defend Sasuke.

Sakura merely gave a dark laugh, one that didn't match her at all.

"She died and was replaced with someone stronger when Orochimaru took the place of the _Uchiha brat_," Sakura explained with amusement blatant in her voice now.

Ibiki took a few moments to look at Sakura who returned his gaze. He paid careful attention to her eyes and knew the approach he was taking was making her even more confident with herself, something he didn't want. While he paid attention to her eyes, Sakura carefully went over the plan in her head. If she forced chakra into her arms, it would get blocked from her hands. However, the use of her chakra would force the chakra used in Kakashi's seals to act up and she could manipulate that chakra into usable chakra to break from the restraints.

Without a second thought, Sakura blasted chakra through her arms and the seals flared up immediately, glowing a bright blue. Sakura took the instant opportunity and blended her chakra with the chakra the seals used and absorbed it, forcing it once again through her arms and passing the bands on her wrists. With one great push, her arms spread and snapped the belt and the hand restraints. She wasted no time with her ankles and merely broke free of those before standing on her feet and stretching.

Ibiki stood there, watching in amazement at her speed and strength and reached into the pouch attached to the side of his belt, gripping a kunai. Sakura sent him a smirk that eerily reminded him of one Orochimaru would produce.

"Calm down, Ibiki!" she teased. "I simply wasn't comfortable," she explained as if she were discussing the weather.

Sakura spun the chair around and slid onto it, facing the back of the chair and Ibiki. She leaned her arms over the edge and sighed, closing her eyes.

* * *

In the room that sat next to the room Ibiki and Sakura were in, Tsunade, Kakashi, Ino, and Naruto sat with wide eyes and open mouths at the screen they were watching Sakura and Ibiki in. None of them had ever met someone who had broken the restraints or had responded so casually to such obvious sensitive points without showing _anything_ that would make him assume he'd hit something he could continue off of.

"She needs to have available chakra to increase her strength but she has none she can use," Tsunade said more to herself than anyone else.

Kakashi thought carefully before coming to an answer.

"Chakra manipulation, Tsunade," he said.

Ino and Naruto turned look at Kakashi while Tsunade's eyes remained glued to the screen.

"How could she do that when the seals prevent any chakra from being used?" Ino asked, confused.

"The seals were specific to _her_ chakra," Kakashi began, gaze now back on the screen. "She forced the chakra through her arms, which, of course, blocked it by using my chakra and the Anbu's chakra."

"That still doesn't make any sense," Ino complained.

"She blended _her_ chakra with _our_ chakra so the seals couldn't tell which order to take. They sensed her chakra so they wanted to shut it out but they also sensed our chakra so they wanted to let it through. It only takes one second to get the chakra distributed before Sakura can use her strength again," Kakashi explained before sighing. "I didn't think she'd figure out a way around it so fast."

"Shh! They're talking again!" Tsunade snapped and Ino and Naruto looked back at the screen.

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes.

"I thought this was supposed to be an interrogation, Ibiki," she said in a bored tone, watching as his hand moved away from his kunai pouch. "You've got the reputation as the best interrogator in Konoha, if not all the countries. You don't need to be physical, you're that good. You simply use your victim's weaknesses to get your answers. Am I right?"

"Correct," he said stiffly.

She smiled a smile that seemed a bit too innocent before continuing.

"Well then, I'm waiting. You've got the files on me, on my teammates, on Ino and my other friends. You know the information Tsunade received from Ino and Tsuyoshi and you're intelligent enough to connect everything together," she baited. "So go ahead. Toy with me. Screw around with my mind, why don't you? Make me relive my most _painful_ memories. Rub all my faults and mistakes in my face until you have me in tears, _begging_ you to stop, telling you I'll confess to everything. Come on, _Ibiki_, don't you want to make me _suffer_?"

Ibiki stood frozen and emotionless as he could, though there was frustration in his eyes at this new Sakura. He'd figured he would walk in, bring up Sasuke, insult Sasuke, then insult her, and finally, when he pressed hard enough on her weaknesses, she'd crack and spill everything on Orochimaru. His fists clenched and unclenched before he gave his own smirk, coming up with a back-up plan that he was sure would get a response.

"If you're expecting me to simply blow this interrogation off and leave, you're wrong. I'm just getting warmed up," Ibiki explained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ooo," Sakura cooed mockingly, "tough guy."

"Why don't we skip the basics, then," Ibiki proposed.

"Yes, let's," Sakura yawned.

"Sasuke. It's pretty clear you don't love him anymore," he stated, turning to face her fully now.

"Naw, what was your first clue?"

"Why? What happened that changed your loyal loving passion for him to not caring about him in the slightest?"

Sakura gave another dark chuckle and answered.

"I wasted too many years of my life on Sasuke. I was a sheep, following after my leader with my fellow sheep, only I wanted to be the best more than the rest," she paused and let out an amused sigh. "I figured that Sasuke was the reason I would become stronger and I spent years training and working under Tsunade for the sole purpose of proving to Sasuke I wasn't weak. I've been alive for eighteen and a quarter years and, not counting the seven years before I first had a crush on Sasuke, I've spent every day of my life up until I turned 18 loving him and falling victim to the same damn cliché fantasy as every other girl. My ambition," she continued with a shrug, "was greater than the rest, however, and that led me into the greatest depression I'd ever been in. I was ready to give up being a ninja and just be a civilian like Ino was planning on doing."

Sakura allowed Ibiki a few moments to let that information sink in before giving a dreamy smile and continuing.

"My life was over until _he_ came to me. He said he wanted me for his own purposes and that by agreeing I'd bring Sasuke home by the time I turned 19. It seemed simple enough, though I had planned to save myself for Sasuke, I was sure he would understand." Sakura sighed again and shook her head. "Orochimaru can be...very _persuasive_...with very enjoyable methods..." Sakura paused as she remembered what he had shown her that day was enough to convey the message that he was experienced but when compared to the things he had done to her body their first night, she shivered happily at the thought. "Two years later I found myself completing our deal. Sooner or later, he came by once again, only he left me with small gifts."

* * *

Ino scoffed.

"Small my ass!" she exclaimed. "The necklace he gave her had _rubies_, not rub_y_, rub_ies_. Must've cost him a fortune!"

* * *

"So eventually you fell in love with him because he was good in bed?"

Sakura scowled at him.

"Don't think I'm the type of girl who falls in love with a dick size, Ibiki!" she said angrily. "I didn't realize I-"

She stopped, eyes narrowing at Ibiki. She closed her mouth once she realized what he had said and what she had almost given away. _He_ _almost_ had her. He almost had her ticked off about the parts of Orochimaru she loved and implied she loved his lower half more than any other part of him. She had fallen right into it, too, and would've completely flopped had she not noticed. But therein lies the problem. She couldn't defend herself if she didn't respond which would tick her off knowing Ibiki thought he won and she couldn't just agree with him because then he really _would_ win.

"Fine then, you tripped me up _once_," she admitted grudgingly. "It doesn't mean it'll happen again."

It was Ibiki's turn to laugh now.

"Sakura, I have you to myself for as long as _I_ deem necessary or until the Hokage comes in and tells me to stop or take a break. We're just getting started and if you're messing up this early, you're guaranteed to do it again sooner than later."

Sakura's eyes narrowed before the confident, arrogant attitude returned. She gave one of her own smirks and sat up.

"Then let's continue this," she hissed tauntingly.

Ibiki grinned and stored away this bit of information. He now had one point of weakness that he was positive would get a response from Sakura. Now to pry some more. He did have a hunch that Orochimaru to Sakura _now_ was like Sasuke to Sakura when she was _12_. So if comments about Sasuke ticked her off back then, then comments about Orochimaru would tick her off now.

"Alright then. Well, since you've denied loving him for his methods of pleasuring you, I assume you love him for some other reason," he said carefully.

"Of course," she agreed, eyeing him warily.

"I take it, then, that you enjoy mental pain?"

She stared at him, forcing herself not to glare at him.

"What makes you think that?" she asked calmly.

"Have you noticed the connection between Team 7 and the Legendary Sannin, Sakura?" he queried.

Sakura's eyes dimmed as she thought about it. Connection? She had never really thought much about it. Was there really something important? She shook her head.

"No."

"You and Tsunade. Naruto and Jiraiya. Sasuke and Orochimaru. Think about it again," he instructed.

Sakura closed her eyes as she thought. She still didn't understand. Those were the sannin that Naruto, Sasuke, and herself had been receiving guidance from. Her brows furrowed. Other than the fact that they were being taught by sannin...emotions...

: _"You were a cute kid," she muttered softly, not thinking he would catch what she said._

_"You think so? Well, you wouldn't be the first."_

_"Really? Well, I would've thought you'd have been like Sasuke. The village heartthrob with throngs of fangirls? Tsunade was the most interested in you, right?" Sakura asked innocently, seeing how far she could get this conversation to move._

_"Is it really that interesting? I found it to be quite annoying. There were days where I was afraid to bathe without padlocking every possible entrance and exit."_:

Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she realized what _connections_ there were between each member of Team 7 and the sannin they were paired off with. Sakura and Tsunade were the weakest of their teams and the two took up medicine and sheer strength as their increase in power. Jiraiya and Naruto were both drop-out goof balls that got tied to the pole during their "survival training". Sasuke and Orochimaru...she shivered. She didn't want to compare them. That's what Ibiki wanted. She stopped herself from taking the path those thoughts developed and looked up at her interrogator.

"So what if we're similar? It doesn't matter. We aren't the same person and we choose our own paths. What point are you trying to make that you think you have me trapped in?" she said in an annoyed tone.

"Sasuke and Orochimaru are nearly _identical_, Sakura. Both are incredibly skilled, are geniuses, hold brilliant power, and as you've probably figured out, were the center of every girl's dreams. Can you tell me the flaw they both shared? Or rather, I should say flaws," Ibiki explained with a smirk.

Sakura was trying with all her might to keep herself together. She knew _exactly_ what Ibiki was implying and she needed to find a quick way to get out of the trap he was dragging her into. She huffed and turned her head to the side, eyes closing and arms crossing over her chest.

"They both wanted more power than they already had," she said with a sigh. "Tell me something I _don't_ know!"

Ibiki's eyes became slits as he forced himself to control his smirk from becoming wider.

"But you're forgetting, Sakura, that neither of them have the ability to _love_ another human being," he said darkly, watching as her body went rigid. "They are incapable of loving people. The only thing they could ever love is power, and you're not exactly the model of the subject, more like the model of the opposite."

He watched Sakura's hands clench into fists and her eyes squeezed tightly. She knew what was coming next and she forcing herself to try and block the entire thing out of her mind.

"It means you're _weak_, Sakura, weaker than anyone in Konoha, civilians included, and most likely weaker than any person in the rest of the world. Perhaps the only reason you've gone to him is because you're using _him_ as much as he's using _you_? You want power so this is what you've gotten-"

Sakura's eyes were screwed shut and she was shaking her head, trying to keep his voice out of her mind. She didn't want to hear any more of it. She didn't give if he won this part, she didn't want to hear it. She wasn't using Orochimaru and Orochimaru wasn't using her! That's final!

"Shut up..." she said through grit teeth.

"He's made you feel loved to give you strength to go against the people who raised you and taught you-"

"Shut up..." she said once again, only louder.

"-but he doesn't really love you-"

"Shut up!"

"He's **_using_** you, Sakura! He wants to see you crushed-"

"**Shut up**!" she screeched, jumping from her chair and kicking it in anger.

"What do you plan to do when he's finished with you, then?" he asked quietly, knowing very well she could hear him just fine.

"He won't be done with me for a long time," she said equally as quietly, though she was fuming and it was apparent in her voice.

She was pissed beyond all belief at what Ibiki was saying. Now she really didn't care anymore if she won or lost. He was insulting her on an incredibly personal level and then using that to go after Orochimaru.

"**You don't know what the _fuck_ you're talking about**!" she screamed, stomping towards him. "**How would you know if he's using me or not! If he loves me or not! You've never _seen_ him! You've never been _with_ him! You've never been on the receiving end of his _supposed_ lies of love!**" She was right in front of him now, grasping the fabric of his shirt tightly between her paling fingers. "**I _know_ people say he's a monster that will do anything to get what he wants, but he wants _me_! Out of everyone in Konoha, in Sand and Mist, Tsunade, Ino, Yuni, Temari, Ten-Ten! He wants _me_, and he'll do whatever it takes to get me!**" she gave a harsh tug to Ibiki's shirt before continuing. "**I _know_ he's an incredible actor, an amazing liar and manipulator, but I don't care _how_ amazing you are at acting! _No one, not even Orochimaru_, can fake the genuine love and concern for someone they care for! If he doesn't love me, _fine_, but he still cares about me!**" She was breathing heavily now.

Ibiki was shocked, to say the least. He had never received such a reaction from _any_ of the people he had interrogated and he couldn't think of anything to say. Ibiki sighed before wrapping his fingers around Sakura's and pulling her hand off of his shirt. He took a step the side and Sakura thought he was going to attempt to attack her and instantly turned to face him, only to find the biggest shock of her life. The great Ibiki Morino, the one who managed to break the toughest shinobi into a blob of tears without laying a hand on them, was retreating from the room, heading for the door he came in through.

At first, Sakura didn't know what to think. She didn't know if she should be disappointed that he didn't try harder to break her or if she should be proud that she was probably the only one to survive Ibiki's mental torture without coming close to shedding a tear. It was too much for her head to decide so her body forced her lips into a lopsided smile. And she laughed. Not a dark laugh, but a _real_ laugh. Without any warning whatsoever, she started jumping up and down with joy, crying out happily. It looked like she was proud of herself and she had every right to be.

However, the jumping caused the pictures to fall out of the pocket in her boxers and she quickly bent down to pick them up. The picture that landed on top, however, was the one with Orochimaru smiling a _real_ smile, not one of his trademark smirks. Sakura smiled softly at this picture and quickly began to scan the room, looking for the camera that watched her and connected to the room Tsunade would be in. She spotted it in the corner in the back of the room. With a grin she grabbed one of the chairs at the table and stood on it, holding the picture up to the camera lens. Sakura smiled another real smile and said the words that applied as much truth to the shock of the picture.

"Tell me, Tsunade, could Orochimaru fake something like _this_?"

And in the other room, Tsunade gaped at the picture, for she had never seen Orochimaru give a sincere smile once in her entire life, yet here he was in a completely legit picture with Sakura, in a position she _never_ would've assumed he'd be in.

"Please tell me I'm not seeing that for real," Tsunade said in a pleading tone before falling back into her chair.

Sakura was being held bridal style by Orochimaru and the two were smiling completely innocent care-free smiles.

"Sakura..." Ino said softly.

Thoughts zoomed through her mind and she knew what she had to do. Naruto saw the look in Ino's eyes and gave her a nudge and one of his trademark "Go for it!" smiles, obviously seeing right into her head. Ino looked hesitant but she nodded. Turning to Tsunade, she saw her head in her hands, muttering something to herself that sounded less than pleasant. Ino thought she mentioned something about not noticing "it", whatever "it" was, earlier. Ino breathed in deeply before opening her mouth to ask.

"Can I go see her?"

Tsunade was silenced immediately and she nodded her head warily.

"Thank you."

Ino left the room as Ibiki walked in. He had a somewhat defeated look on his face and he knew what kind of lecture he was going to get from Kakashi and Tsunade. Ino, meanwhile, sprinted to the door that would bring her into the room Sakura was in. By the time she walked through the door, Sakura was already sitting on the table, looking through the photos once again, smiling gently to herself. Her head turned up when she heard the door open and her gaze caught Ino's. It was at that moment something snapped in Sakura, and the old self-conscious Sakura was back.

"Ino?" she asked, shocked.

"Hey, Forehead! Long time no see?" she said with a forced cheerfulness that Sakura caught on to nearly immediately.

She nodded slowly.

"Yeah, long time no see," although she knew she had only been gone about a week, maybe a few days more.

There was an awkward silence that Sakura actually found to be quite comforting. She was terrified to speak. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to lie to Ino right now. It was so much of a relief to see her that Sakura was already sliding off of the table and walking toward her best friend before her mind could catch up with her body. Sakura wrapped Ino in a friendly hug that Ino hesitated in returning. When she finally did wrap her arms around Sakura, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"I missed you, Ino-pig," Sakura laughed and pulled away from Ino, seeing that her friend had an enormous grin on her face as well.

It was something like this, just being near a great friend, that made Sakura feel terrible about everything she'd done. She'd lied to her friends and slept with a criminal, and _enjoyed_ what he did to her body. Sakura shivered. Now she didn't really want to leave and Ino could see it in her eyes. She wondered what had happened to the confident girl from before but recognized herself as one of Sakura's weaknesses.

"You love him, Sakura," Ino said suddenly.

Sakura was caught off guard.

"Huh?"

"Don't start denying it!" she snapped, hands on her hips. "You love Orochimaru and he's the secret lover you were referring to all this time!"

Sakura was staring at Ino like she'd grown a second head. What was Ino talking about? Sakura understood but why was she acting so...forcefully? As usual, Ino read the look on Sakura's face.

"We're friends, Sakura! Friends stick together by supporting each other! No matter what you decide to do, I'll be right here, supporting you all the way!" Ino stressed, shaking Sakura by the shoulders.

"Ino?" Sakura asked, confused.

This couldn't be the same girl Sakura had known since she was little girl.

"I can't make the choice for you, but I can tell you right now that not seeing you yet knowing you're happy is, and always will be, better and more satisfying that seeing you every day looking like you're going to commit suicide!"

"But you could-"

"I've _been_ happy, Sakura! I've found the right one for me! It's your turn to be happy now. Follow what your heart says, think about how you're going to help your heart go through with that choice."

Sakura felt that Ino had never made more sense in her life. The problem still remained that Ino and Naruto were her best friends and that by becoming a missing-nin, either one or both of them might be sent after her to kill her. That meant that she would have to attempt to kill one of them and she didn't want to do that. Yet Ino was standing there, shaking her, telling her to go to Orochimaru and be _happy_. She really wanted to, honestly, but Ino might change her tune when she hears about the baby.

Sakura sighed. It was either now or never, or she would find out in a way Sakura wasn't comfortable with.

"Ino..."

"Yeah forehead?"

"There's...something else you need to know..."

* * *

Tsunade was watching the screen, watching as Sakura leaned in close to Ino before cupping a hand around her mouth to whisper in Ino's ear. Tsunade couldn't hear what they were saying, but Ino's eyes widening had to have been incredibly important. Sakura pulled back, waiting for the explosion, but found Ino to be keeping her mouth shut.

"What do you think Sakura told her?" Kakashi asked, paying careful attention to Ino's features.

Suddenly, without warning, Ino's lips stretched into a giant smile and she started screeching and jumping up and down in joy. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as well. Ino ran the few steps to Sakura and enveloped her in a great bear hug. Her mouth was moving a mile a minute and Sakura was the only one who seemed to be able to keep up with her. Unfortunately, dating Ino meant forcing yourself to learn to understand what she's saying when she acts like she was at that moment and Naruto did incredibly well in acting like he didn't understand.

Kakashi turned to Naruto.

"Can you understand anything she's saying?"

Naruto brought a hand behind his head, scratching it, having been unable to break the habit, and a dark red blush covered his face.

"Unfortunately, yes," Naruto groaned, giving one of his other trademark smiles.

Kakashi paused, thinking, before starting up again.

"Can you tell me what they're saying?" he asked calmly.

Naruto spun around, obviously embarrassed and somewhat angry.

"Are you kidding me! I'm not repeating a single word those girls are saying unless I want to- hey!" Naruto whipped around to face the screen.

"What? What did they say?" Kakashi pressed.

Naruto fell into a twitching heap on the floor.

"How good we are in bed...I'm being compared to a fifty something year old geezer who's doing better than I am!" Naruto groaned in a self-pitying tone.

Inside Naruto's head, however, he knew he was doing an amazing job at acting. He knew the girls were discussing Sakura's pregnancy but he had taken a blow to his ego by covering it up as something related to his skill in bed compared to Orochimaru. Ok, scratch that, more like a thousand blows to his ego. But Sakura's happiness was worth that much to him so he went through with it. He just hoped she knew how much deeper she was getting herself into this mess.

He sighed and stood, turning and heading for the door.

"I'm going to get Ino so we can go home," he groaned, trudging out into the hall.

When he arrived at the door, Ino was already waiting for him and she smiled.

"Did anyone else understand?" she asked slowly.

Naruto shook his head grudgingly.

"I had to make up an excuse saying you were comparing Orochimaru and me in bed," he muttered grumpily.

Ino gave a soft laugh and then brought Naruto to her in a hug.

"There's no way an old guy can outdo my Naruto," she reassured. "Now let's get going. I have to open up the shop early tomorrow!"

* * *

Sakura had been escorted back to her cell and was chained up once again. The seals on her arms were still in place but she was still proud of herself. She had managed to go through Ibiki Morino's brutal interrogation without even breaking a sweat, let alone crying a tear. Not only had she survived the interrogation, but she had provided herself with a solid defense that had Ibiki making a retreat with his tail between his legs! Then Ino had come into the picture and _supported_ her love for Orochimaru and _encouraged_ her to dump Konoha and go be happy with the man she loved... After that, Ino found out about Sakura's baby and she went nuts over it in the best way possible. If Ino was up for it, Naruto was as well, and that meant that her two best friends gave their approval.

Now all she had to do was wait for Orochimaru or one of his followers to come break her out and it wasn't all that long that she had to wait. About an hour and a half later, a familiar chakra invaded her senses. Sakura's eyes snapped open and she looked up at the barred window above her head. Blue chakra was flowing over the edge of the sill and climbing silently down the wall until it was above her head. Sakura attempted to shy away from it but Kabuto's reassuring voice, followed by his body, came through the window.

"It won't hurt you if it touches you. It'll only fill the chains and break them apart," he explained, jumping down from the window and landing without a sound in front of Sakura.

She nodded in understanding and watched as the chakra moved across her arms and legs before touching the chains. The second the two made contact, a sizzling sound filled the room and Sakura nearly freaked out when she saw the metal was being dissolved. Her eyes widened. She was really glad Kabuto had told her she wouldn't be hurt because she would've been flipping out by the time the first second finished. The chains clanked to the ground, or at least what was left of them.

Kabuto held out a hand that Sakura took and he yanked her to her feet, steadying her before she fell back down.

"Hold out your arms," he instructed, and Sakura did as she was told.

Kabuto's hands began to glow green and blue and he held onto Sakura's wrists, forcing his chakra through her system. She winced at the slight burning sensation that was building at her wrists but she pushed it aside the moment she set eyes on the seals. They seemed to be blinking between appearing and disappearing until, finally, the marks disappeared completely. Kabuto pulled his hands away and Sakura immediately tried to use her chakra. It worked. She smiled at Kabuto.

"Thanks!" she said cheerfully.

Kabuto nodded before grabbing her and hoisting her up to the window. Sakura poked her head out of the opening and saw nothing unusual so she moved through. She used her chakra to stick to the wall above her while Kabuto came out.

"Just follow me," he explained, heading north and away from the holding cell.

Sakura nodded and followed without missing a beat, noting that there were multiple Anbu bodies scattered around the building and the gate to the village. Within minutes they were on their way to Sound to meet up with Orochimaru. Sakura was excited because not only would she finally get to see Orochimaru, but she could see Sasuke as well. If she got to see Sasuke, that meant she could hit the bastard hard enough to knock him out cold. Of course, she wouldn't _hit_ Sasuke. She'd kill him for sure. No, she would simply _poke_ Sasuke and show him just how comfortable it feels when going through a dozen stone walls.

'See how he likes that!' Inner Sakura screeched, pumping her fists in the air.

* * *

"I think we can stop now. We've gotten a very good head start so they won't be able to catch up with us for another two days, at least," Kabuto explained, coming to a stop at the edge of a river.

Sakura watched as he took off the pack he had on and began setting up camp. Sakura stood their, watching for a few seconds before talking, though quietly.

"Is there anything you'd like for me to do to help?" she asked, coming closer to Kabuto.

He gave her one of his heart-melting smiles and Sakura couldn't help but blush. She watched him carefully, emerald eyes meeting onyx ones. Sakura nearly gasped as the innocent look he gave her transformed into complete confidence along with something she thought was lust, but wasn't too sure about that. She watched as Kabuto slowly moved to his feet, standing at his full height which was about three to four inches taller than Sakura. She didn't know what the look he gave her meant, but her instincts were telling her to back as far away from Kabuto as possible.

Sakura moved back slowly but every one of his steps was two of her steps and he caught up quickly. She stood frozen when the backs of her legs hit a log she had no idea even existed behind her. She fell back, landing harshly on her butt, and Kabuto bent down in front of her. His eyes burned into hers and this time she did gasp when his knuckles brushed across her cheek.

"You want to know how Orochimaru makes you feel the way you do when you're with him," he stated, cupping her cheek with his hand. "Am I right?"

Sakura's eyes widened.

"H-How did you...? Yes..."

"It's a jutsu that I created for him," Kabuto bragged, suddenly placing a hand on her lower thigh.

Sakura's body tensed immediately and only became even more tense as he kneaded the skin higher and higher up her thigh.

"Any touch, no matter where or how brief," Kabuto leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers before pulling away, "by simply _looking_ at you, I can control how fast your body becomes aroused."

True to his word, Sakura suddenly connected eyes with him and the throbbing began. She clenched her legs together to ease the throb but Kabuto managed to slip his hand between her legs. She gasped as his hand curved to cup her and on instinct her legs tightened in a hope that it would prevent his hand from touching any more of her. Her clenching legs merely pushed him harder against her and he grinned. The heat of her body increased dramatically and Kabuto leaned forward as Sakura's eyes slid shut from the sudden pleasure that shot through her groin.

She felt Kabuto's lips against her neck and her head fell back, allowing him more flesh to press his lips upon. She gave a sharp moan as the bottom of his palm grinded into her clit.

"Kabuto!" she gasped, tightening her legs even more.

He laughed darkly against her skin.

"I can increase the arousal and sensitivity of her your body to the brink of having an orgasm," he breathed into her ear, noting how her breathing turned to panting, her panting into gasps, and her gasps into moans and finally cries within seconds and the only thing he was doing was cupping her sex and brushing his lips across her ear. "And then I can take it all away," and he became amused as she relaxed completely, the throbbing gone.

Kabuto slid his hand from between her legs and pulled his lips from her neck. He adjusted himself so he was face to face with a very flustered Sakura and held her lips to his in a kiss. When he pulled back, he expected to get hit flat across the face, but Sakura merely sat there with a dazed expression on her face. She nodded to Kabuto who smirked and returned to building the campsite. Sakura's eyes stared at Kabuto, but she wasn't really seeing him. She didn't understand how he knew she wanted to know. She didn't understand why Kabuto would even show her. But what she really didn't understand was why something like that had to be created. Was he _that_ impatient on their first night he needed this developed or was there a reason he couldn't wait-

Sakura suddenly thought of something and her lips curled into a smirk.

"Hey, Kabuto?" she questioned in a voice that was a bit too cheery for Sakura.

Warily he glanced up at her.

"Yes, Sakura?"

She smirked, her confident, arrogant, kick-ass self returning.

"Teach me how to use that technique."

Kabuto gulped and he stared at the girl before him.

'Is this the side of her Lord Orochimaru wanted to see so badly?'

* * *

After another two days of nearly non-stop travel, Kabuto and Sakura arrived at Orochimaru's underground castle. Sakura gave a soft smile at the entrance and pressed a hand to her belly, rubbing small circles on the still almost completely flat stomach. She followed Kabuto down a few steps when she reached a hand out to hold his shoulder. He stopped and turned to face her. He was surprised when her lips met his cheek and she smiled a genuine smile.

"Thank you," was all she said, but Kabuto understood what she meant.

He gave a nod and continued down the stairs, Sakura following Kabuto. She couldn't help but smile. She was in love, had friends who would do anything, even go against the law of the village, to see her happy, and she had a strong shinobi that was the father of her baby. Though she knew she would miss Konoha, giving it up really was worth being happy. Now all she had to do was find a way to heal Orochimaru's arms and give Sasuke an up-close and personal interview with her fist, or, perhaps just one finger would be enough?

She gave a smirk and looked down at her stomach.

"Just one finger should be enough."

* * *

**Chapter 9 Preview**

* * *

"Sasuke..." Sakura spoke, her voice in disbelief, staring at the boy she thought she loved.

He looked at her in boredom from her same pink hair to her now developed body.

"Sakura," he said, a disgusted look on his face, "you seem to have grown well," he noted, throwing her the infamous Uchiha smirk that always had her at her knees.

Sasuke began to walk towards her, noticing how her face seemed excited but her eyes were hiding something. He brushed it off as his imagination and brought his hand to her chin, holding her head in place so he could look at her. Sakura smiled her usual smile that he remembered from when they were twelve. He felt one of her hands rest gently on his chest as she looked hopefully up at him. He sighed, and then smirked again.

"Why are you so annoying?"

And without a second to waste, Sakura took her pointer finger and gave a very gentle poke to Sasuke's chest. She grinned darkly as she watched the Uchiha fly through the air and crash into the stone wall behind him, parts of him breaking through the wall while the rest became buried beneath the crumbling rock. Sakura faked a look of worry while her lips curled into a nasty smirk.

"Oh no! Sasuke!" she cried, obviously fake.

'If we get to do this _every day_, I know for a fact I'll never set foot into Konoha again!' she thought darkly, Inner Sakura agreeing with her easily.

:…:…:…:

"I'm sick of _you_, Sasuke," she said calmly, taking a step towards him. "Don't do this, train like that, stop flirting, don't be such an idiot," she said in a high-pitched mocking voice. "I wasted nine years of my life waiting for you to acknowledge me as more than a teammate before you left, and then an additional two years after you left hoping you would come back for me," she took another few steps towards Sasuke who was now eyeing her bleeding hand. "I gave you eleven years worth of opportunities and you didn't show me a single glance that you cared and now, when I've _finally_ done what you asked and stopped thinking about you, you have the balls to _tell me_ I'm disgusting for moving on and choosing someone else and imply that my only use to Konoha is as a call girl," she spat in a low tone, words laced with venom.

:…:…:…:

It hadn't rained this hard in any of the many years Orochimaru had lived in Sound. He was never really one to believe in rain as a bad omen, but more along the lines of what came _after_ the rain, when the sun spread its bright rays of light around the dampened land and created those disgusting rainbows he hated so much. In all honesty, he preferred the rain over a clear blue sky, but when there was this much tension between Sound and Konoha, he wished there could only be clouds. No rain, no sunshine, just clouds.

But things aren't always that easy, and he stood there, on the open walk-out section of his room, the only other part of his castle that led to the outside. He was getting hit left and right by raindrops, and being shirtless with a medic who won't take her eyes off of you isn't intelligent in the least. He knew that this was bugging Sakura even more than himself and he can tell more than ever when she appears beside him, placing her hands on the railing.

He can see her pale skin glowing in the darkness of the forest ad his fingers long to run over it again, just for the sake of feeling her beneath his fingers before it's too late. She doesn't look at him, simply allowing her soft pink hair to become drenched with clear raindrops as she stares ahead. He can see out of the corner of her eye a great deal of worry and he doesn't know what he should do. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, but he wanted to tell her to go back inside where it's warm so the she doesn't get sick and harm the baby.

The baby...if Orochimaru had ever been unsure about something in his life, it was this baby. He felt the need to have Sakura go through with an abortion but he felt some kind of connection. A baby would do that to anyone. A baby could change anyone, no matter how homicidal they are. Orochimaru didn't know since his changes began with the mother of their child. He was supposed to get rid of Sakura after she finished with his arms and healing Sasuke, but for some reason he didn't think even God knew, he wanted to see this child of his grow up. He wanted to have his role as father be his son or daughter's first word, and he wanted Sakura to be the one to take care of the child while he worked.

Once again, he didn't understand any of the emotions he was feeling and dismissed them, turning back into the cold sadistic bastard that he usually showed himself as. When Sakura was suddenly pressed against his chest, arms wound around his waist, Orochimaru's mind ignored her, but his body moved separately and securely wrapped an arm around her mid-back.

"Come back inside, Orochimaru," she said softly, nuzzling his chest affectionately. "Come back to bed."

:…:…:…:

"Are we settled?" he questioned, tilting her head up to face him.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"Good, now let's go back to sleep."

The two went to bed with Sakura in Orochimaru's arms, both feeling like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Sakura now had no doubts about Orochimaru's committment to their child and she knew what he thought of her as a parent. Sakura murmured one final thing before sleep fell over both of them.

"You're going to be a great father."

* * *

Alright! Chapter 8 complete! I hope everyone enjoyed it! Now I hope you guys don't get pissy because you've seen the preview! So now that everyone knows how Sakura feels, and Sakura has been rescued by Kabuto, you can all look forward to the wonderful, amazing, and brilliant chapter 9! I mean, _come on_! Who doesn't want to see Sasuke get his ass kicked a few times?

**However!** I believe I mentioned previously that I would tell people who wanted a happy ending to continue all the way or a tragic ending for chapter 10, and I've decided that the ending will be one ending, not two, so everyone will read to the very very end, and although I won't give everything away, I mean it when I say that **everyone** will get what they want for an ending. Believe me, you will.

Also, since this story is coming to an end, I need to decide on another story to write after I'm done with _Dirty Little Secret_. I know for sure that I'll be writing an extension to_ To Belong_, my Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children one-shot, and then I'll get to working on another story. That's where you guys come in! If you want to have a specific story I've summarized in my profile written, get the title and send me a PM, an e-mail, or a review with it so I can choose. If not, then I do have two in mind that I'll pick one from.

And, do you know how everyone relates Orochimaru to Michael Jackson? Well, I was thinking (and it took me about seven MM songs to get everything to click) but Orochimaru looks more like Marilyn Manson, though you all probably knew that. I was just getting sick of hearing everyone say he's like MJ and I figured out that he's more like MM than MJ, but then again everyone else seems to think Orochimaru is a child molester...so...He's not, though!

Don't forget to review! Reviews make the world -ahem- (_my_ world) go round! Thanks again for reading! Till later!

Backlash Symphony


	9. Oh, How the Great Have Fallen

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Oh, How the Great Have Fallen

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Fighter" Christina Aguilara

"Cry Baby Cry" by Santana Featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone

"Cold" by Crossfade

"Jaded" by Aerosmith

"Ray" by Millencolin

"Don't Tell Me" by Avril Lavigne

"History" by Matthew West

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Fighter" Christina Aguilara, "Cry Baby Cry" by Santana Featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone, "Cold" by Crossfade, "Jaded" by Aerosmith, "Ray" by Millencolin, "Don't Tell Me" by Avril Lavigne, "History" by Matthew West, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

**WARNING**:** Sakura will be a little OOC this chapter but it's something that is required to show Orochimaru's effect on her. Orochimaru will be a little OOC but it's something that also needs to be done.**

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**ghettofabgurl89**

**emir**

**Lady Seiryu**

**Chryseis Wyvernsen**

**Rhonda21**

**Dark x Sorrow**

**read-n-review**

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**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**ghettofabgurl89:** Yeah, but Kabuto's a sexy guy in his own way and I guess you never see enough of them. It was _soooo_ tempting...Er, if he didn't prance around like a little emo bastard then yes, I'd feel sorry for him, but Itachi is a total hunk so Sasuke can at least live up to _that_ much of a rep. In fact, he might turn out better since he doesn't have the lines on his face. -Gasp- Sorry! That's blaspheomy! I've got an ItachiSakura story planned though I'm not sure when I'll have it written. Check my profile. It's called "Unfortunate Circumstances".

**Chryseis Wyvernsen:** Thankyouthankyouthankyou! More plushies! -Makes room- I've got more room!

**Rhonda21:** Well here's the fight! And MM works much better.

* * *

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

:Flashback:

* * *

It was one of those types of situations where you find yourself in some abandoned place lit with candles and filled with creepy portraits that have eyes that follow you from room to room. In other words, it was the type of situation people conjure in their dreams. As Sakura followed Kabuto through the halls of the castle she vaguely remembered, she felt chills go up and down her spine. She felt like she was being watched but there were no creepy paintings to be found anywhere on the pretty much bland walls. Unless shadows had eyes, she doubted the candles had much to do with it.

She wasn't really paying attention to where she was going or the route she was taking, just forcing herself to stay attentive long enough to notice which way to turn when Kabuto changed direction. She gave a sigh, her mood having done a drastic turn for the worse. She felt scared, now, not happy. She was afraid to see Orochimaru thinking that he might not want to put up with her any longer. It wasn't something she would be looking forward to if he was simply going to dump her like Sasuke had.

What Ibiki had said back in the interrogation room, she knew he was completely right for the most part. The only thing he didn't get right was the reason why she loved Orochimaru, but he was dead-on for the rest of the points that made her want to curl into a ball and cry herself to sleep, a habit she'd never managed to grow out of. When she got back to her cell, she let everything he said flood her mind but remained strong enough to restrain her tears from flowing. That took a lot of what little energy she had left.

In all honesty, she hoped what she had said in Orochimaru's defense was true. She hoped that she would be able to stay with him long enough to have the baby, and then possibly even longer to care for the child and raise it. She didn't want to raise the child by herself, but even if he was there in the same building, she would do it. Although she knew well enough that healing his arms meant the destruction of Konoha, she still couldn't stand to see him suffer. Although Konoha was her home village, Orochimaru came first in her heart.

Besides, to have the ability to heal his arms would mean she was the greatest medic in not only history, but the present, and it would mean she would set a new rule to apply to current medical theories. It also meant that she would be a genius in order to figure something like that out. When she had seen Orochimaru's arms, she had seen that the tissue, bone, and muscle were all dead. The skin had died as well but she had used living cells from his shoulder to redesign the skin cells for his arms. If she applied that theory to Kabuto's medicine that allowed him to move his arms, she could do a little more research and testing and find out how to heal him for good.

"You ready?" Kabuto asked, looking over his shoulder at Sakura as his hands rested on two large doors in front of them.

Sakura, woken from her thoughts, gave him a startled look before seeing his confused glance. She blushed lightly and nodded. Kabuto gave a firm push to the doors and they opened, the two walking forward. When Sakura first entered the room, she figured it was the same style as the rest of the castle. Lit dimly by candles and made of stone that was covered with nothing but barely noticable minerals. Upon closer inspection, she noticed there was a significant difference between the lighting on her half of the room and the other half she was facing. She couldn't point out any faces but she was sure Orochimaru was sitting in a throne-like seat in the center of the room.

However, what caught her completely off guard was the figure that was standing next to him clad in black with equally as dark hair and cold, emotionless, onyx eyes. His lips were set in a flat line and she couldn't help but feel a sudden weakness. This was...Sasuke? _Her_ Sasuke? The Sasuke that was gone for a little over two years? She didn't understand anything other than the fact that she wanted Sasuke in her arms at that very moment. She wanted to hold him, for him to hold her, to tell him that she grew up, matured, got stronger! She wanted him to acknowledge her, but Inner Sakura was throwing a temper tantrum that would impress a five year old. Right now, she was screeching and bellowing at Sakura to stop being weak. She was being told off by her inner self! Sasuke equaled weak. Orochimaru equaled strength.

But she couldn't help but remember the differences in her personality because Orochimaru had changed her. She had never felt confidence when near Sasuke. She never inherited any of his Uchiha traits, but Orochimaru had rubbed off on her. She remembered the tender moments and the exciting moments she shared with Orochimaru and found nothing to compare to Sasuke. Unless, of course, you count being told "Thank you" and then being knocked out and dumped on a cold stone bench.

'Yeah, _real_ loving _there_,' she thought sarcastically.

'Go for it!' Inner Sakura yelled.

So Sakura did, and she did so with perfection.

"Sasuke..." Sakura spoke, her voice in disbelief, staring at the boy she thought she loved.

He looked at her in boredom from her same pink hair to her now developed body.

"Sakura," he said, a disgusted look on his face, "you seem to have grown well," he noted, throwing her the infamous Uchiha smirk that always had her at her knees.

Sasuke began to walk towards her, noticing how her face seemed excited but her eyes were hiding something. He brushed it off as his imagination and brought his hand to her chin, holding her head in place so he could look at her. Sakura smiled her usual smile that he remembered from when they were twelve. He felt one of her hands rest gently on his chest as she looked hopefully up at him. He sighed, and then smirked again.

"Why are you so annoying?"

And without a second to waste, Sakura took her pointer finger and gave a very gentle poke to Sasuke's chest. She grinned darkly as she watched the Uchiha fly through the air and crash into the stone wall behind him, parts of him breaking through the wall while the rest became burried beneath the crumbling rock. Sakura faked a look of worry while her lips curled into a nasty smirk.

"Oh no! Sasuke!" she cried, obviously fake.

'If we get to do this _every day_, I know for a fact I'll never set foot into Konoha again!' she thought darkly, Inner Sakura agreeing with her easily.

She gave a dark smirk of her own and placed her hands on her hips.

"_That_'s not even _close_ to what I can do, Sasuke!" she said grudgingly, folding her arms across her chest. "That was using _one_ **finger**," she held a finger up, "and you're already out? How **_pathetic_**!"

Sasuke moved slightly from the rubble he was beneath and let out a soft hiss. She watched with a smug smile as he moved slowly, pushing pieces of rock off of his body. Sakura turned her head to see Orochimaru and saw his throw a smirk her way. She blushed softly before hiding it as Sasuke got to his feet, though looking like he was just about ready to collapse any second.

"Hn," she said with a smirk. "Looks like you actually _did_ get stronger. I was beginning to worry if you were just a waste of Orochimaru's time or if you were actually worth teaching."

Sasuke sent her his famous death glare and Sakura seemed unfazed. She simply raised a brow at his expression.

"Sakura, _what_ are you doing here?" he ground out between grit teeth.

Sakura gave a sly smile.

"Aw, what's the matter, Sasuke?" she asked in mock concern, placing a hand over her heart. "You all pissy because not only am I _over_ you, but I nearly ran you through a stone wall with a _poke_?"

Sasuke took two steps towards her, rage filling the room, when Orochimaru stopped them.

"That's en_ough_!" he commanded, causing Sasuke to stop in his tracks and Sakura to relax a bit, although she was having quite a bit of fun.

No sooner than Sasuke stopped, however, his body began to shake violently and he fell to his knees, coughing loudly and in a raspy type of way. Sakura's eyes narrowed at him, knowing that this wasn't her fault and that this was something that had been wrong with his body for a while before she arrived. She looked carefully at his skin color, noting that it was pale, paler than usual. In her mind, she combined what she could see with the library-like knowledge she held, comparing against multiple diseases and disorders. She walked up to Sasuke and placed a hand on his forehead, feeling the skin burning up, around 101 degrees farenheit, maybe 102.

Her mind switched instantly into medic mode and she turned to Kabuto, making a list of things she would need in her head. She needed a little more information first, and she pulled Sasuke's hand away from his mouth, noting the thin layer of black and wine-red speckled dots.

"How long has he been like this, Kabuto?" she asked hurriedly, moving Sasuke into a sitting position.

"About four months, now," Kabuto said calmly.

Sakura's brow furrowed and her eyes closed, obviously deep in thought. She dug through every disease and disorder definition she had ever come across and stored in her brain. The symptoms didn't exactly match up to anything specifically but she went with the disease that was closest to the condition he was in now. A new list of medical supplies she would need popped up into her head.

"Alright, Kabuto, listen to me. I have an idea of what Sasuke has but I need to know what ingredients you have so I can find the rest that I'll need," she explained carefully.

Sakura looked down at Sasuke who seemed to be breathing normally once again and shakily got onto his feet. She verbally listed the items she would need and it turned out that Kabuto had every ingredient. She nodded determinedly.

"Let's get to work then. Can you find someone to take him to his room or somewhere he can lay down?" she asked, turning to face Orochimaru.

"It'll be taken care of. What I want to know is why you want to help him?" he said somewhat suspiciously.

Sakura laughed softly and rolled her eyes.

"Do we need to go over this _again_?" she asked. "I thought I made it clear that my job is to help people."

"And you would even help the person who you hate?"

He had a _very_ good point. She gave him a lopsided grin.

"You think that a poke was the only thing he's gettin' from me?" she asked skeptically. "I'm not even _close_ to done with showing him his proper punishment!" she grinned once again. "Now get him taken care of, please. I have an antidote to make."

With those words, Kabuto took Sakura to his personal medical lab and pulled out the ingredients Sakura needed and she set to work immediately. Kabuto returned to take Sasuke to his room. Orochimaru decided he would go visit Sakura. When he walked into the lab he found Sakura scribbling something down an empty scroll. She was so into her work she didn't even notice him until he asked her what the information on the scroll meant.

He thought he knew fairly well what it meant since it mentioned arms but he didn't understand why she would be writing notes for arms rather than work on Sasuke's antidote. She jumped a foot off the floor and looked like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar after her mother said she couldn't have one.

"I was just making a note incase Kabuto wanted it," she said quickly, too quickly, in fact.

She turned and went back to working on Sasuke's antidote, mashing some dried herbs in a bowl before sprinkling a dark yellow powder into the mix. As Sakura poured a small vial of a vibrant purple liquid into the mix, Orochimaru read the notes on the scroll again. His brows knit together and he shook his head.

"Why would you want to heal my arms?" he queried with a hint of anger.

Sakura stopped what she was doing and spun to face him, a pained expression on her face.

"Is it really my fault that I can't _stand_ seeing you in pain!" she hissed, glaring at him. "Is it my fault for caring if you can't see straight because your body is doing all that it can to handle the hurt it's going through! I hate seeing you suffer and I'm going to do whatever it takes to help you and you have the audacity to be angry with me!"

Orochimaru refused to bring his eyes away from hers and he suddenly felt the urge to do what he did next. He slid a hand behind Sakura's head and brought her forward, crashing their lips together. Her hands steadied her body on Orochimaru's chest. She instantly was dragged in by the kiss and was reciprocating with equal passion. Sakura had no idea how long she stood there making out with Orochimaru like a teenage school girl, but it must've been at least seven minutes before Sasuke got to his room, and most likely longer because of his stubborn attitude, because Kabuto cleared his throat, standing in the doorway.

Sakura pulled away from Orochimaru, her face bright red. Orochimaru closed his eyes and sighed. He turned to face Kabuto.

"Sasuke is settled?"

Kabuto nodded.

"Not very happy with it, but yes. How's the antidote coming?" Kabuto replied, acting as if he hadn't just caught his master and Sakura snogging.

Sakura did something that sounded like a crash but she gave a cry of triumph at the steaming mixture in front of her.

"It's done! It just needs to cool off," she said enthusiastically. "Uh, Kabuto, you wouldn't happen to have any tomatoes and a blender, would you?" she asked nervously.

"Do I even _want_ to know?" he asked hesitantly.

Sakura's nervous laughter answered his question and he was off again to find a blender and some tomatoes. Orochimaru watched as Kabuto left the room and turned to Sakura, raising a brow.

"Tomatoes and a blender?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't bother," she sighed.

Orochimaru remained quiet for a moment, watching as Sakura began thinking again. He was about to ask something when suddenly her hand shot for the pen next to the scroll, writing a few brief sentences down along with a small diagram. He watched carefully, trying to figure out where her thoughts became connected and woven together. He noticed something he had already tried.

"That method didn't work," he pointed to the line she wrote down.

"I know. The ratios wouldn't work but if you combine this method with a part of one of my other theories then it might make it work," she explained, still taking down notes.

He blinked and watched her write once again. Either she had thought a great deal about this in her spare time or she was simply a genius. He wanted to think of the latter, but she did have a lot of spare time as of late. Kabuto returned soon after and Sakura quickly took the items from him.

After plugging in the blender, she dropped one tomato in and measured out four tablespoons of the medicine she made. She turned the switch to puree and waited for it be completely liquidized. It didn't take very long and she grabbed a handful of empty potion bottles, pouring the first mixture in. She repeated this process four more times and was ready to get to Sasuke.

"Alright then, this should be enough to cure him. He needs to take one now and another tonight," she explained. "The final three go for tomorrow. One gets taken with breakfast, another with lunch, and another with dinner. If he doesn't eat, the tomato should cover for him."

"Oh, so that's what the tomatoes were for," Kabuto muttered.

"Actually, they're Sasuke's favorite food and that medicine tastes like crap. As much as I want to see him suffer," she explained with a laugh, "I don't think I have to suffer as well while he bitches about the taste. Tomatoes are an easy bargaining tool with him." She sighed heavily. "Now, where is he?"

Kabuto brought her to Sasuke's room and she walked through the door, holding onto two bottles of the medicine tomato mixture. She saw the look in his eyes and immediately talked.

"Here's the deal. You're sick and if you don't get cured soon, it'll become permanent. There are five of these," she held up one of the potion bottles, "and you are to drink every one of them. If you do, this disease will be cured for the most part while I kill the remaining infected cells with my chakra."

The two glared at each other and Sakura held out the first bottle to him. His eyes narrowed and he turned his nose up.

"I'm _not_ drinking that," he said, disgusted.

"It's going to heal you so you can get back to training," Kabuto explained politely.

"I'm not touching that stuff," he repeated.

Sakura and Kabuto sighed.

"It has tomatoes in it," she said exasperatedly.

Sasuke's hand reached out and snatched the bottle from Sakura's hand, uncorked it, and downed the bottle in two gulps. She watched as Sasuke's face twisted as if he noticed the bad aftertaste but ignored it. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"See? It wasn't that bad. Now, before you go to sleep tonight take this bottle," she explained, putting the bottle on the stand next to his bed. "There are three more that you are to take tomorrow _with food_. If you don't eat, the tomato will provide enough nutrients, but keep this in mind," she suddenly changed her voice to something Sasuke couldn't define, "if you disobey my orders as a doctor, I'll tell Orochimaru that you aren't fit for training, and he'll take my word over yours, so keep in mind that you're dealing with someone who has more authority than you."

She turned around and headed for the door, knowing Sasuke's fists were clenched. The second she turned out of the room, she heard a crash and knew Sasuke had shattered the potion bottle against the wall while trying to hit her with it. She smirked as she saw Orochimaru.

"Why don't we get _you_ settled?"

Sakura nodded and moved walk a step behind Orochimaru. He noticed this and grabbed onto her arm, pulling her to stand next to him. She didn't question his move and merely smiled as he resumed his pace. She glanced at his face from the corners of her eyes and noticed the emotionless expression immediately and tried to think of reasons why he'd be acting like that. She figured that he normally acted like this and that she would have to get used to it while she stayed there. The doubt in her mind returned once again and she wanted to ask him just what he expected from her and how long she would be there for.

She remained silent as her thoughts carried her away once again. Orochimaru led her in a different direction than the one she had come from and after a few turns they came across a small staricase. They traveled up the stairs and found themselves before another set of large doors. Orochimaru pressed against the doors and walked through, holding one open for Sakura. Sakura walked in as well and nearly froze when she saw where they were.

The room was different from the rest, even from Sasuke's bedroom. So far, this was the only part of the castle she'd seen that wasn't made of stone, as far as she could see, anyway. The room had flat walls with a dark forest green wallpaper. Closest to her left there was a large desk with some rolled up scrolls neatly packed against the wall and to her right was a small table with various bottles on it. One shelf ran continuously along the upper part of the wall and had another assortment of bottles that held objects she couldn't make out and colored liquids. Beneath the shelving, a bookcase also moved continously along the walls, every shelf filled with as many books as it could hold and in the same neat condition as the rest of the room. In the center of the room was a rather large bed with a set of deep violet bedsheets and pillows.

Sakura grinned and took a few steps into the room before noticing that in front of her, where there should have been a bookcase on the wall ahead of her, there was a set of dark forest green curtains pulled shut. She heard footsteps behind her and she turned to see Orochimaru walking towards her. She gave him a questioning glance and he gestured for her to follow him. The two moved to the curtains and he grabbed one of them, pulling it to the side. Sunlight streaked through the window and Sakura's eyes squinted. It didn't take her eyes longer to adjust and she saw that the room was equal to the ground outside and that she was staring through a large glass door.

"It's beautiful," she said softly, smiling just as brightly as the streaming sunlight.

"Glad you like it. This will be the room we share," he explained, closing the curtain.

Sakura's eyes widened. They were sharing? She took a glance at the bed. Sure, it was large enough, but if he wasn't showing her any emotions outside the room, what would everyone else think if they were _sleeping_ together? She heard him chuckle and felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry so much. They know well enough not to question me," he said.

She nodded slowly.

"Besides, I'm not about to have you sleep in a cold room," he explained, sliding a hand around her hip and resting it on her stomach.

She looked down, seeing and feeling his fingers moving gently over her belly and mustered as much confidence as she could. She knew it was now or never, so she went ahead with it.

"How long do you plan on keeping me here with you?" she asked, body tensing in anticipation.

Orochimaru didn't give her a response immediately, merely settling for brushing his thumb across her stomach. She felt him shift behind her and instantly felt her mind begin to crash. He was actually _thinking_ about it? She felt tears coming into her eyes but his next words pushed them away.

"Well," he began, "I'm not about to let you go to Konoha while you're pregnant. You're going to have the baby here, or, if necessary, in a nearby village hospital, whichever you think is safer," he paused, fingers moving from her and wrapping his entire arm around her waist, bringing his lips to her ear. "I know _I_ can't raise a child to save my life, and I don't exactly have the body parts to feed the child," he brought his arm under her chest.

"Orochimaru!" she half gasped, half laughed.

"And I wouldn't trust Kabuto with taking care of a baby, same goes for Sasuke. Not only would they probably abandon taking care of it, they wouldn't know the first thing about raising it," he explained. "Besides, as much of a killer as I may be, I don't think I want my three year old killing off every one of my followers for morning training," he finished.

Sakura couldn't help but laugh at the tone of his voice at his last remark. She was just really glad Orochimaru wasn't going to kick her out once he go what he wanted from her. At that thought, she suddenly felt better about healing his arms and made a to-do list in her head. She would need to talk to Kabuto about the approaches he'd already taken and get a better understanding for what worked and what didn't in relations to the pain the time his arms remained usable. She would need to ask Orochimaru specifics as well and she would need to get a closer look at his arms while he was in pain and while he wasn't.

"How long until your arms need Kabuto's medicine?" she asked quietly, still deep in thought.

"Four hours."

Sakura nodded and turned around in his arms.

"Can I start seeing them now?" she asked, looking at his eyes. "I want to see how exactly it is that they deteriorate."

He nodded.

"I'll take you down to the lab where Kabuto worked on my medication," he said hesitantly.

Sakura nodded and followed Orochimaru down to the lab he had mentioned earlier. Sakura took one look around and noted that it was similar to Kabuto's personal lab, only bigger. Sakura found that there were chairs and tables for surgery and instructed Orochimaru to lay down on one of the tables. He did and Sakura stopped him before he laid down.

"It'll be easier if you take your shirt off," she explained, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the scroll she had taken notes on.

She turned and searched for a pen and found one on another table. When she turned back to see Orochimaru, his shirt was spread beneath his back, arms bare. With a determined nod and a soft smile, she pulled a chair up, kneeling on it. One hand held the pen while the other rested over his hand.

"You ready?"

He shot a glare at her causing her to blink in surprise.

"I'll take that as a yes," she mumbled under her breath.

Her hand began to glow green and she kept her hand on his. After a few minutes she marked something down on the scroll and moved her hand up a few inches. Her brows knit together and she wrote something else down. She moved her fingers up to his elbow, making sure to touch the bone. She felt a jolt of pain run through Orochimaru's arm and into hers. She gave a small cry and pulled her hand back, eyes wide. She looked at Orochimaru's face and saw him grit his teeth. She quickly wrote something else down onto her paper and lifted her pen only to change back and write another few sentences down. She smiled softly to herself and titled her new theory before moving to another empty section of the scroll.

"If I list off some of the theories I have, will you tell me if you've attempted them or not?" she asked quickly.

He gave a nod and Sakura began.

"Cell extraction and reproduction?"

"No."

Sakura nodded and starred her notes for that topic.

"Creating a new body and using the arms?"

"From scratch, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"It didn't work."

She nodded and put a circle with a line through it next to that one.

"Gotcha. Did you try the body transfer technique but limit it to your arms?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. How would she know about that?

"It would be like performing that in reverse, or limiting it to the time it takes for each part of you to change," she clarified.

"No."

Sakura starred that one as well.

"Did he do any tests on your nerves? Bones? Any other specific parts of your arm?"

"He only monitored the pain and the rate my skin started to die at."

He then saw Sakura grin, one that told him she was happy with herself.

"Well then, I guess he forgot to mention that the deterioration process isn't starting with your skin," she stated.

Orochimaru looked at her strangely.

"What do you mean it doesn't start with my skin?"

"It doesn't. It begins with your chakra flow into your arms," she explained, pausing and waiting for him to approve her to continue.

He nodded, eyes staring at her and waiting for what she had to say.

(1) "We all know that the chakra in our bodies keeps us alive. By using up all of our chakra, we die, and that is why we're encouraged to store chakra away so that doesn't happen," she continued. "For you, whatever the Third did to you, he stopped the flow of chakra into your arms which, applying what we learned, explains why your arms are dead, or at least they keep dying after Kabuto gives you a temporary fix," she explained. "You also need to keep in mind that chakra is like blood. It flows through your circulatory system and, like blood, it needs to move from its birthing point around the body to provide the body with the strength to move. The used chakra is exchanged for the new chakra and is sent back to its birthing point to be dispelled from the body."

Sakura gestured to Orochimaru's body as she spoke, pointing to his heart and the other points of the body chakra could be produced.

"Like blood works, exchanging oxygen healthy blood cells for the ones that already have been used, chakra does the same," she continued. "Now, the blood and chakra provide us with the strength and ability to move and replenish the dead cells, so by depriving any specific part of the body of chakra or blood, the circulation breaks and there's a build-up of dead, useless cells. The build-up infects the rest of the body part and mixes with the living cells that are in there, changing them into dead ones," she explained. "After that happens, the muscles begin to die because they aren't getting what they need to survive. The nerves die as well and the pain you feel isn't actually caused by anything. The pain you feel is actually phantom pain, or, what the nerves remember as they die," she clarified.

Orochimaru nodded his head slowly as he absorbed the information that she gave him.

"After the muscles and nerves die, the skin dies and begins to fall off. After that, the muscles will begin to fall apart once the dead blood escapes. That is what happened to your arms. The Third cut off your chakra supply to your arms which resulted in the infection of your cells and the destruction of them. The skin being destroyed isn't the first sign you need medication. It's actually the middle of the process. If you wait until after the skin falls off, the blood will eventually stop flowing and the muscles will start to fall apart and this will continue until you won't have any arms left at all."

Orochimaru simply stared at Sakura. He knew his behavior at the moment was far from his usual behavior, but he'd been like this for over a week now.

"You're amazing," he said, voice somewhat in disbelief.

A fine blush spread over Sakura's cheeks and she looked at the floor. Orochimaru sat up and grabbed hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him.

* * *

"What is Sakura doing here, Kabuto?" Sasuke asked icily.

Kabuto smirked from his position at the entry to the door and looked away from Sasuke's prying eyes. Sasuke wasn't pleased at all and Kabuto could feel his anger growing by the second.

"Why is she here, Kabuto?" he asked harshly.

Kabuto gave an innocent shrug that Sasuke saw right through.

"She might be here because she may have struck a deal with Orochimaru that might include you," Kabuto suggested in a false manner of ignorance.

He turned his head to Sasuke.

"Then again, she might just be here because she may have become a better medic than Tsunade."

He shot Sasuke a dark smirk.

"Or perhaps she might just be here because she might have an interest in Orochimaru who might have an interest in her."

The look in his eyes was what set Sasuke off. The look in his eyes when he suggested Sakura and Orochimaru were interested in each other in a way Sasuke thought Sakura felt towards him stated he wanted to see Sasuke in pain. Sasuke glared at Kabuto. He refused to believe it. Kabuto chuckled and turned away, heading out of the door to Sasuke's room.

"If you feel you don't believe me, you might find the main lab the right place to look if you maybe decide to see for yourself if I'm lying or telling the truth. Oh, but do remember, _it's not what it looks like_," and he was gone.

Sasuke glared at the door and stubbornly turned away. Sakura belonged to him. She still loved him, he knew she did. He suddenly felt disgusted by Kabuto's suggestion that Sakura and Orochimaru had a thing for each other.

First, Sakura loved him. Second, even if it was a crush aside from her love for him, it would be completely disgusting that she would have a crush on a fifty something year old man when she was only 18. Third, because Kabuto mentioned the lab, that could mean Orochimaru was doing something to her for experimental purposes. That, or she was doing something medical to help him, but he didn't think she would be able to heal Orochimaru's arms completely. Fourth, he suddenly felt somewhat panicked. What if Sakura really _was_ in love with Orochimaru?

He was on his way to the main lab before he had time to take a breath.

* * *

"How is it that you fully diagnosed me and came up with multiple methods to fix me in less than half an hour when Kabuto has been working on this for six _years_?" he questioned, eyes holding hers.

Sakura shrugged.

"I don't know," she said softly. "Can I try making the pain go away?"

"Of course."

Sakura's hand lit up with green chakra and she pressed it onto Orochimaru's shoulder only to find their lips pressed together in a slow but passionate kiss. She leaned into him, fingers still running across his arm. She brought her free hand up and placed it onto his chest. She felt his other hand adjust until she had his fingers putting pressure on specific points on her neck, causing her to relax instantly, nearly melting against him. Suddenly he stopped and released her from his hold, grasping the hand she had on his chest and sliding it onto his shoulder.

Not even a second later, Sasuke came through the doorway, staring at the two oddly. Sakura's hand had been pouring her healing chakra into Orochimaru's arm the entire time and she stopped, feeling that there was enough of her chakra to last him another day or two. She drew her hand away and continued with his other arm. She suddenly seemed annoyed.

"Sasuke, shouldn't you be resting?" she asked icily.

"Shouldn't _you_ be in Konoha?" he repeated in the same tone.

Orochimaru felt Sakura's nails dig into his skin briefly before she resumed healing him. He looked down at her with a raised brow before shaking his head.

"Sasuke, you're supposed to be smart," she said, "what does it _look_ like I'm doing?"

"It _looks_ like you're hiding something," he responded calmly, glaring at Sakura before glancing at Orochimaru. "Am I right?"

Sakura was getting angrier by the second and Orochimaru could tell. He decided he would intervene if Sakura was going to really hurt Sasuke. He almost felt bad for Sasuke for not knowing anything. _Almost_ being the key word.

"If Sakura decides she wants to tell you then she can," he explained. "I thought it would be obvious but I was wrong, I guess."

"I'm disappointed, Sakura," Sasuke said. "I'm also disgusted with you. How could you _sleep_ with _him_?" he accused, glaring at Sakura.

Her eyes widened and her hand dropped off of Orochimaru's arm, landing on the cold metal table with a bang. Her fingers gripped the edge as Sasuke continued. Orochimaru simply smirked and turned to look at Sasuke.

"How could you? It's _sick_!" he complained.

Sakura's body began shaking, her fingers tightening enough to make the sound of metal being crushed. Her fingers kept on squeezing, even when the metal pierced the skin of her hand.

"What's the matter, Sasuke?" she asked quietly. "What's sick about it?"

"He's over fifty and you're **18**!"

"Really? I never would've guessed that you'd be _jealous_, especially when you couldn't stand me anywhere near you," she said in mock realization, voice still quiet.

"I am _not_ jealous!" he said defensively. (2)

"And why would you be? I've slept with Orochimaru. It's just me and of course you would _never_ care about _me_," she said sarcastically.

"How many other men have you slept with? Is that the only use you have in Konoha?"

She laughed darkly.

"Do you need me to freshen up your memory of earlier?" she asked harshly.

Before Sasuke had time to retort Sakura pulled her hand from the metal piercing it, blood coating her hand, and she slid off the table, eyes meeting Sasuke's.

"I'm sick of _you_, Sasuke," she said calmly, taking a step towards him. "Don't do this, train like that, stop flirting, don't be such an idiot," she said in a high-pitched mocking voice. "I wasted nine years of my life waiting for you to acknowledge me as more than a teammate before you left, and then an additional two years after you left hoping you would come back for me," she took another few steps towards Sasuke who was now eyeing her bleeding hand. "I gave you eleven years worth of opportunities and you didn't show me a single glance that you cared and now, when I've _finally_ done what you asked and stopped thinking about you, you have the balls to _tell me_ I'm disgusting for moving on and choosing someone else and imply that my only use to Konoha is as a call girl," she spat in a low tone, words laced with venom.

Sakura was standing right in front of Sasuke, eyes still looking directly at his. His body was shaking with anger, his fists clenched.

"You have no _clue_ as to how badly I want to hurt you right now, how _easy_ it would be for me to kill you and watch you with the utmost enjoyment," she breathed softly against his lips. "You have no idea how much I want you to suffer for the pain and the hurt you put me through. If I didn't have Ino or Naruto, I'd have already committed suicide before we were even thirteen." She sighed against his lips before leaning to talk into his ear. "I want you to feel every blade I ran through my arms and thighs to force myself to believe, even for only a few moments to cover up the hollow feeling, that, unfortunately, I was still alive. I want you to cry every tear that ran down my face at night, every crystalline drop I shed that I knew would never be returned and was a wasted effort. I want you to hear every single one of your screams bounce off the walls as you try to drown out the voices that won't leave you alone, the ones telling you that you're weak and are haunting you for being foolishly in love with someone who you've always known would rather marry a dead and rotting corpse than you." She pulled away until she had her lips directly in front of his once again.

She brushed her hand, the one that wasn't bleeding, over his cheek and spoke her final words to him.

"I want you to suffer the way I did when my heart was wrenched from my chest while I was fully aware to feel it, to have it crushed in the hand of the one I loved and then tossed to the ground and stepped on, just to watch the fading back of the Ice Prince," she hissed.

She brought her lips even closer to his, the closest they could be without touching, and uttered the words she'd been looking forward to saying the most this entire time.

"I want to watch you _break_."

Sakura pulled away from him, eyes filled with a rage that she refused to let out, a hollow look beneath the anger. She straightened herself and backed away three steps. The blood still coming from her hand dripped onto the floor with little plops.

"Fortunately for you, I respect Orochimaru enough to back away from things that are his. Just let me make one thing clear, though," she said firmly, "if you threaten me, I'll be the only one who can tell them it's your body."

Sakura watched as Sasuke threw the darkest glare she had ever seen at her and merely walked past him, expecting him to throw an attack at her or attempt to hurt her or insult her, hell, even try to _defend_ himself. She got nothing from him. Maybe it had something to do with Orochimaru being in the room. She didn't know, but she _did_ know was that she wasn't going to stick around and wait for him to throw something at her. She left the lab without another word and headed for her new room.

Sasuke transferred his glare to Orochimaru who let his smirk drop. He shot a soft, though meaningful glare at Sasuke.

"You're a very ungrateful boy, has anyone ever told you that?" he said with a hint of amusement in his otherwise scolding tone.

"How could you just sit there and watch her say that to me!" he blew up. "She took both of your arguements and you did nothing but sit there and watch her!"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed and he slid off of the metal table, sliding his shirt on.

"Watch your tongue, Sasuke," he hissed. "Just be glad she didn't decide to get physical. If we didn't have an agreement I would've easily let her kill you."

Sasuke scoffed.

"She couldn't kill me even _with_ Naruto's help."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a dark smirk as he rolled up the scroll Sakura took notes on, tucking it into his pants pocket.

"Sasuke, keep in mind that she's a medic and a better one than Tsunade, at that. She also has monstrous strength that you felt first-hand. She has better chakra control than you'll ever have, as well. Although she may not have the same stamina you have to last a normal shinobi fight, her skills as a medic or her strength alone can have you dead in less than a minute," he explained in a tone of excitement that Sasuke was used to hearing Orochimaru use when speaking about him. "One real punch from her and she can shatter the bones in the immediate area of impact as well as a decent area around it. She knows jutsus that can slice your heart into dozens of pieces in less than a second, killing you instantly. She has her own strengths. Her weakness was _you_, not her being a female or being a bad kunoichi. Give her something to make her confident and this is how she turns out."

Orochimaru walked towards Sasuke and stopped at his side.

"Now, do as she says and go get some rest. I'm not going to train you until that illness clears up and she declares you fit for training," he instructed, leaving and heading to his room.

Sasuke was left standing there. His fists were still clenched and he was glaring so hard at the floor anyone who walked in would've thought he was trying to break it with his mind. Sasuke began to feel something burning in the pit of his stomach. Not only had Orochimaru taken away _his_ Sakura, but he was beginning to give her the same treatment he received when he first arrived. He didn't like this at all.

* * *

It was raining. Sakura could hear it past the dark green curtains that led to the outside forest. Sakura used to love the rain because it was the only time she could cry in public and get away with it without having anyone look at her with another pitiful glance and ask her if she needed anything, if she was alright. She scoffed at that now.

"Naw, I wonder, people don't usually cry when they're alright!" she grumbled to herself.

The room to her door opened up and Orochimaru stepped in, eyes applauding her before either one could say a word. Sakura's arms unwound from around her knees and Orochimaru walked over, holding a hand out to help her get to her feet. Sakura reached up and grabbed onto his hand, allowing herself to be easily pulled up. She watched as Orochimaru slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out the scroll she had her ideas for healing Orochimaru's arms in. She took it gratefully and smiled sadly.

"Thank you for picking it up for me."

"I was looking forward to another poke but I'm glad to know you respect me enough to not harm him," he explained, smirking.

His fingers wrapped themselves around the back of her neck, rubbing the skin gentle enough not to harm Sakura but hard enough to relax her. It had been a move he'd done to test her reaction but when her eyes slid shut and a soft moan came out of her mouth, he knew it was a successful one. She relaxed visibly and Orochimaru pulled his hand away, causing her to groan. He laughed and slid an arm around her shoulders.

"Come on. Let's get you in a shower and some new clothes," he proposed, leading her to a bookcase on the other side of the room.

She looked up at him, confused, before watching his hand grasp a black book on the first shelf and pull it down. The image before her blurred before a door appeared, open. Orochimaru directed her inside.

"Take a pick from the clothes in the closet when you're done. Hopefully you'll be able to find something comfortable."

Sakura smiled and nodded and Orochimaru turned and left her to herself. She closed the door behind her and found the bathroom to be completely white, including the wallpaper. Sakura walked over to the bathtub, leaning over to turn the knobs on. Water splashed down and began to fill the tub. Sakura reached into the pocket of her boxers and pulled out the photos, setting them onto the closed toilet seat. She checked over her shoulder to make sure the door was shut, though she wouldn't really mind if Orochimaru decided to join her. Inner Sakura took credit for that thought all the way as a blush spread across Sakura's cheeks.

She checked on the water in the tub and decided that she would have enough time to pick something out of the closet next to the toilet. She walked the few steps towards it and grabbed the knobs, turning them and opening the door to the closet. Her mouth nearly dropped open at what she found. She reached a hand out and ran it across the different fabrics before her. There were dresses and nightgowns, shirts and sweaters, skirts and shorts, all designed for women, even bras and underwear! She looked at the clothes awkwardly before noticing a piece of paper on the floor with Orochimaru's handwriting.

She picked it up and read it and let out a laugh of relief. Kabuto had gone to buy the clothes for when Sakura arrived. She picked a fresh set of undergarments and a pair of black drawstring shorts that would come up to mid-thigh on her. Her fingers reached for a black tank top and she placed all of them on the toilet seat as well. She turned around and turned off the water. She was out of her clothes in a matter of seconds before she eased her body into the hot water. She sighed in contentment as she felt her muscles relaxing.

* * *

Sakura finished her bath and finished changing before grabbing her photos and exiting the bathroom. When she turned to shut the door, the bookcase illusion was already back in place with the black book on the first shelf looking like it had never been moved. She shrugged and turned to find a place to set down the photos and chose the desk in the corner. The scroll she took notes in was also there. She smiled and headed for the bed.

She sighed softly as she slid beneath the soft sheets. She inhaled and immediately the scent of apple blossoms and fresh grass surrounded her. She smiled and snuggled deeper into the sheets.

"Comfortable?" Orochimaru whispered in her ear.

Sakura nearly jumped but she heard him chuckling and she pouted. She turned to see him, sitting up. Silk drawstring pants. Black, of course. No shirt. _Of course_! She smiled and moved over.

'Every single time, shirtless!' she groaned mentally.

He slid in next to her and she immediately rested on his chest, breathing in. She felt him laugh at her sniffing him and she smiled softly.

"It's not _my_ fault you smell good," she mumbled.

"You've had a long day, so get to sleep," he sighed against her hair, pulling her closer.

As the two fell silent, the lighting in the room went off with the lack of movement, and Sakura felt comforted and safe surrounded by the smell she knew belonged to Orochimaru, that and the fact that she was actually in his arms. The two slept through the steadily heavying rainfall.

* * *

It hadn't rained this hard in any of the many years Orochimaru had lived in Sound. He was never really one to believe in rain as a bad omen, but more along the lines of what came _after_ the rain, when the sun spread its bright rays of light around the dampened land and created those disgusting rainbows he hated so much. In all honesty, he preferred the rain over a clear blue sky, but when there was this much tension between Sound and Konoha, he wished there could only be clouds. No rain, no sunshine, just clouds.

But things aren't always that easy, and he stood there, on the open walk-out section of his room, the only other part of his castle that led to the outside. He was getting hit left and right by raindrops, and being shirtless with a medic who won't take her eyes off of you isn't intelligent in the least. He knew that this was bugging Sakura even more than himself and he could tell more than ever when she appeared beside him, placing her hands on the railing.

He could see her pale skin glowing in the darkness of the forest and his fingers longed to run over it again, just for the sake of feeling her beneath his fingers before it's too late. She didn't look at him, simply allowing her soft pink hair to become drenched with clear raindrops while she stared ahead. He could see out of the corner of her eye a great deal of worry and he didn't know what he should do. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, but he wanted to tell her to go back inside where it's warm so the she doesn't get sick and harm the baby.

The baby...if Orochimaru had ever been unsure about something in his life, it was this baby. He felt the need to have Sakura go through with an abortion but he felt some kind of connection. A baby would do that to anyone. A baby could change anyone, no matter how homicidal they are. Orochimaru didn't know since his changes began with the mother of their child. He was supposed to get rid of Sakura after she finished with his arms and healing Sasuke, but for some reason he didn't think even God knew, he wanted to see this child of his grow up. He wanted to have his role as father be his son or daughter's first word, and he wanted Sakura to be the one to take care of the child while he worked.

Once again, he didn't understand any of the emotions he was feeling and dismissed them, turning back into the cold sadistic bastard that he usually showed himself as. When Sakura was suddenly pressed against his chest, arms wound loosely around his waist, Orochimaru's mind ignored her, but his body moved separately and securely wrapped an arm around her mid-back.

"Come back inside, Orochimaru," she said softly, nuzzling his chest affectionately. "Come back to bed."

His arm tightened around her back, pressing her flush against him. She snuggled into him, eyes closing. Orochimaru's eyes closed as well and it was as if everything was alright. Orochimaru wasn't an S-Class criminal who betrayed Konoha and murdered the Third. Sakura wasn't a lost and broken-hearted girl who was accused of treason for sleeping with Orochimaru. Itachi never murdered his clan and Sasuke wasn't walking around with a stick up his ass. Kakashi hadn't tried to rape her to get information. Sound and Konoha weren't at each other's throats. Best of all, it didn't matter that she loved a man over twenty-five years older than she was. She was in love and her two best friends were all up for it.

She laughed softly at the memory of Ino finding out about the baby. She had commanded Sakura sneak back into Konoha or help Ino sneak out so she could have a proper baby shower. She wanted to see the baby after he or she was born and she wanted to know the names that were decided for each sex of the child. Sakura realized that Ino was more excited about the baby than she was.

"Let's go back to bed," Orochimaru said softly, releasing his hold of Sakura.

She pulled her arms away as well and the two walked back into the room, dripping water onto the floor. Sakura headed into the bathroom and grabbed two towels and a dry change of clothes. She returned and tossed one towel to Orochimaru who caught it effortlessly. She noticed that somehow he had already changed into a dry pair of pajama bottoms. Sakura peeled her wet clothes off as Orochimaru closed and locked the outside doors, shutting the curtains once again. He turned around to find Sakura drying herself around her shorts and bra and felt the urge to go to her.

Sakura was in the middle of drying her hair when he finally moved, thanking her quietly for waiting to put a new shirt on. He walked over to her and she looked up at him. He looked down at her before lowering himself to his knees. Sakura looked confused and was about to ask him what was wrong when he pressed his forehead to her belly. She froze, eyes wide. She stopped drying her hair, bringing her arms down to her sides.

"Orochimaru?" she asked, bewildered.

His hands closed around the curve of her waist and hip, pressing his forehead harder against her.

"Just stand still," he muttered softly, a bit _too_ softly for Sakura's liking.

She looked down at his hunched figure, his wet hair dripping trails of rainwater down his back. Her brows furrowed in confusion. This wasn't like him at all and it honestly worried her to see him like this. She didn't understand why he had his head on her stomach-

'The baby?'

Her gaze softened and she stared at him some more. It was at that next moment when she realized why he was acting this way. Her heart felt like it stopped beating and tears began to form in her eyes. Orochimaru was afraid of this child. He was afraid of her having this baby. _That_ was the reason behind his awkward behavior. It had to be!

'Maybe he feels ashamed? He doesn't want to admit that he's finally done something he knows he'll regret...'

She needed to know. She was sick of her mind playing favorites and then biting at her doubts. Her hand released the towel and it dropped to the floor with a soft thump. Her hands grasped his and forced them from her body. He abruptly pulled back, ready to say something when she collapsed to her knees. He saw the tears in her eyes and it was too late for him to pull away from her gaze. She caught the fear in his eyes and knew she was right. Her hands reached out and held onto his cheeks.

"Tell me the truth, Orochimaru," she said, voice cracking. "Are you using me?"

He kept her gaze but remained silent, thinking.

"It's not a question that requires thought!" she snapped. "It's a yes or no response type of question!"

"No."

"What is it that's bugging you then?" one of her hands slid through his damp hair. "What about this baby has you so terrified?" her voice cracked even more.

He remained silent still.

"Do you regret this? Do you regret the fact that I'm going to have _your_ child and you wish it never would've happened?" she cried.

"No."

Sakura suddenly released his face as if his skin burned her hands and she stood, turning and walking towards the door. Orochimaru got to his feet, watching as her fingers slid through her hair, grabbing fistfuls of it before turning, eyes closed tightly, and smoothing the hair out, just to repeat the process after another turn. She gave a shuddered sob.

"I can't take this!" she cried. "I don't care if you love me back or not, just please tell me how long you plan on keeping me here! I want the truth!"

Orochimaru gave out a frustrated groan, finally having had enough of this.

"Would it kill you to take five seconds from _my_ perspective, Sakura?" he snapped, causing the girl to turn around rapidly to face him.

"_Your_ perspective?" she repeated, shocked.

"You aren't the only one here who has to deal with that baby, Sakura!" he said, clearly frustrated. "I have no experience with children on this level nor have I ever been in this position of actually knowing the woman I've slept with is pregnant with _my_ kid!"

She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"I thought the same thing was going to happen with Anko but it was a false alarm, and the jutsu I used on the first night with you was supposed to _prevent_ this from happening, yet here we are, arguing about something I have no knowledge of!"

Sakura glared at him, suddenly angry with him.

"And what makes you think I know any more about this than you do!" she retorted angrily. "I don't understand anything about this because I don't match up with the basic knowledge of pregnancies! I'm three months pregnant and I haven't shown a single sign of it!" she groaned. "You think you're the only one confused! Scared! I'm _terrified_, Orochimaru!"

Her body relaxed some but the tears began coming down slowly, moving across her cheeks in clean streaks.

"I don't know what to expect with this child, Orochimaru. I don't want to have the baby in Konoha because the second I'm done in the hospital they're going to execute me for treason. What could possibly make me believe they aren't going to kill the baby after I'm dead because _you're_ the father?" she reached a hand to wipe away the tears on one side of her face. "I'm afraid because I don't know how to tell if something is wrong with it since I couldn't even tell I was pregnant. The baby could already have died and I wouldn't know." She wiped the other side of her face. "What happens if I make it through the pregnancy and our son or daughter turns out to be something you suddenly want nothing to do with? I don't want to raise my child the wrong way."

Orochimaru walked to Sakura, holding her in his arms. She cried against his chest, clutching onto him, sobbing. He stroked her hair gently and soothingly.

"I'm the last man in the world to model as a father, Sakura," he said softly. "You're the best woman in the world to model as a mother."

Sakura tensed and he continued.

"You have a caring heart but you're protective and demanding. You're not obnoxious and arrogant but proud with a good reason for it. You've had a look at both sides of life and you aren't the type to shelter someone to the point that they would shatter once they went out into the real world. You're the perfect mother," he explained. "I trust you in showing our child everything I can't."

"I can't see myself as a father, to be completely honest. I never expected to have kids when I was younger. I knew that attachments were incredibly stupid things to have as a shinobi so I never bothered with girls or fantasies of being married with a few kids in the academy to uphold the family name," he continued, pausing to let it sink in. "But now that I _know_ I'll be a father, I'll do the best that I can, but you have to promise me you'll understand if I'm not as good with our baby as you are?"

He felt her nod and smiled gently, patting her on the back.

"Are we settled?" he questioned, tilting her head up to face him.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"Good, now let's go back to sleep."

The two went to bed with Sakura in Orochimaru's arms, both feeling like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Sakura now had no doubts about Orochimaru's committment to their child and she knew what he thought of her as a parent. Sakura murmured one final thing before sleep fell over both of them.

"You're going to be a great father."

* * *

Timeframe: Three Weeks Later

* * *

Sakura huffed as she marked a book and then snapped yet another book shut before setting it down on a growing stack of books at the desk. She closed her eyes, sighing and leaning back in her chair, arms behind her head. She had been doing some more research on her theories to help heal Orochimaru's arms. Diagnosing him was much easier than finding a cure. She gave another sigh and stood from the chair, stretching. She had been looking through books since breakfast and it was just about time for lunch. She knew Orochimaru was have her head if she missed a meal and she was a little hungry, anyway.

She exited his room and moved silently down the stairs and through the halls, heading for the kitchen. Sakura had laughed when Orochimaru had shown her where it was. She never actually expected Orochimaru to have a normal kitchen and it amused her to see that it was one of the only normal things about the underground castle. Ever since that night three weeks ago, Sakura felt content with the few hours she saw Orochimaru.

He would drop by for each mealtime to see how she was and he allowed her to do any necessary research on him in the afternoon. Every night he would hold her until she fell asleep. They didn't act like lovers around each other, regardless of whether someone was watching or not. Sometimes he would put a hand on her shoulder and sometimes she would brush her fingers against his, but nothing obvious. There were the occasional coded conversations when he felt the need to see her squirm just to make sure she knew he wasn't ignoring her or using her for his arms.

Kabuto had found out about her pregnancy two days before and had checked to make sure she really was with his chakra. He concluded she was and had been going over his research for the jutsu to find out what went wrong.

Sakura shook her head. This place was hectic even in its silence. Sasuke had healed nicely and the two were civil to one another, though neither were making any effort to apologize. He apparently understood her position as a medic and as property of Orochimaru. He understood that what she said to Orochimaru would influence his decision to train him. However, he had caught Sakura telling Orochimaru that he could resume Sasuke's training two days after she arrived.

She arrived at the kitchen and found Orochimaru waiting for her. She paused for a moment in the doorway before slowly walking to the table. The look on his face was not a pleasant one. She wanted to know what had happened. She quietly sat down across from him, patiently waiting for him to talk. For some reason unknown to Sakura, he refused to look at her, finding the table to be more interesting.

"Konoha has decided to fight Sound for your return," he said calmly, still not looking at her. "I already know you don't want to go back and I know that I don't want you going back, but this is your last chance to decide. Will you stay?"

Sakura abruptly stood from her seat, slamming her hands on the table.

"I'm not going back and _that's final_!" she exclaimed before walking around the table to stand at Orochimaru's side.

He finally turned to look at her and she slid a hand over his cheek before pressing her lips to his, not caring if anyone walked in on them. She refused to return to Konoha. She wanted to be with Orochimaru but another part of her didn't want him to get hurt. She pulled back and smirked.

"I'm your girl now and nothing they say or do will change that!" she said brightly.

He threw her one of his smirks and she took a step back, smile widening. He stood from his chair and slowly advanced on her. She moved back until she hit the counter and looked over her shoulder at it. As she turned her head back to see him he was already caging her in with his body, nibbling on her lower lip so she'd open her mouth. She did and his tongue slid in, coaxing hers into playing with his. His tongue curled around hers and she ran her fingers through his hair. He pulled away from her and planted one last kiss on her forehead. She pouted adorably and he chuckled.

"Three o'clock, then," he said, turning to leave the kitchen.

She smiled, touching a finger to her lips.

"Three o'clock, then," she agreed.

* * *

"Knowing Tsunade she'll send Kakashi and probably Anko," Orochimaru stated, looking at the map on the table.

Kabuto nodded but his thoughts were on a different track.

"Orochimaru, what is Sakura to us now? The plans are quite scattered because of the pregnancy."

Orochimaru shook his head, marking something onto a sheet of paper.

"We'll adapt. Right now, keeping her and the baby safe is top priority."

Kabuto nodded and the two went back to discussing some strategies they would use when Konoha decided to attack. They compared the members of Sound against the members of Konoha, pairing them up the best they could. Kabuto had already volunteered to fight Kakashi and Orochimaru knew he would be fighting Tsunade, perhaps even Jiraiya if Tsunade wanted more help. He knew Sasuke and Naruto would be at each other's throats and decided that Kimimaru would be a good opponent for Anko.

"You really have fallen for her, haven't you?" Kabuto said innocently, though his face showed otherwise.

Orochimaru shot a glare at Kabuto for interrupting his thoughts.

"Can we get back to this?" he gestured to the map with little green and black markers at certain points.

"You _do_ love her," he continued, not taking note of Orochimaru's rising frustration.

Orochimaru closed his eyes and counted to ten but it didn't work. He wanted to wring Kabuto's neck but barely managed to retrain himself. The last thing Kabuto saw of Orochimaru was his back as he left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

Sakura woke up the next day with Orochimaru already gone. She got dressed and grabbed her bag of notes and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Kabuto was on his way out and she stopped him.

"Good morning, Sakura," he said politely, smiling at her.

She smiled back.

"Good morning, Kabuto. You wouldn't happen to know where Orochimaru went, would you? I had some notes I wanted him to take a look at," she explained, gesturing to her bag of scrolls.

"Sorry, Sakura, but I came in her looking for him, too, thinking he might've been with you," he said apologetically.

Sakura nodded, lips in a soft frown.

"Alright, then, thank you Kabuto," she said.

He nodded and headed down the hall. Sakura sighed and placed her bag in an empty chair before heading to the fridge to find something to eat.

"Oh, Kabuto?" she called out, turning, hoping he'd be able to hear her.

She heard footsteps coming towards her and knew he had. His head popped around the corner.

"Yes?"

Sakura smiled determinedly, looking at him thankfully.

"I promise I'll have the cure for Orochimaru's arms ready by the time he gets back," she said softly, though firmly.

Kabuto nodded, smiling.

"I have no doubts when it comes to your medical capabilities, Sakura, just don't overwork yourself or he'll have a fit."

* * *

"Hey, Shizune? Have you seen Tsunade? I can't find her anywhere," Naruto asked, annoyed.

The medic shook her head apologetically.

"Sorry, Naruto. She took off without telling me where she was going."

* * *

"We aren't discussing _anything_ until we both agree that no one else is to know about this, Orochimaru."

Orochimaru nodded, laughing softly.

"No one is going to find out, Tsunade, so let's hurry up with this."

* * *

**Chapter 10 Preview**

* * *

"The Council has come to a decision," the third man from the right boomed.

Sakura's dead stare barely moved up to see him, the two Anbu guards behind her shifting.

"Haruno Sakura, the council has come to an agreement. We find you guilty of treason against Konoha," he declared. "Your execution date will be tomorrow at five o'clock."

Each additional member of the Council said, "Agreed."

Sakura's dead expression didn't waver in the slightest and she didn't put up a struggle. The two Anbu guards grabbed onto her arms and guided her down the steps of the stand and towards the door. She made it to the first bench before Ino suddenly stood and screamed out the words she never wanted to hear for as long as she lived.

"**You can't kill her! She's pregnant!**" she cried out, Naruto instantly at her side.

"It's true!" he agreed. "She is!"

Sakura froze in her spot as she felt dozens of eyes move to rest on her. Her expression hardened and she glared at Naruto and Ino.

"That is **not** true!" she denied, tears filling her eyes.

"I'm not going to sit here and watch you kill your baby!" Ino yelled. "Orochimaru wanted to raise that child with you! He didn't want you to kill it!"

"It's not your decision to make whether I kill this baby or not! What do you think Konoha will do once the baby is born?" she snapped back. "_They'll_ be the ones who kill it when it's **alive** just because Orochimaru is the father!"

The room erupted into harsh whispers at her pregnancy and she sent an incredibly harsh and terrifying glare at a few rows, silencing them instantly. Naruto had enough of it and turned his gaze to the council. His fists clenched in anger and he was ready to give them a piece of his mind.

:…:…:…:

"Kakashi, don't you see that Orochimaru was the only thing_ keeping _Sakura sane! She had nothing left and Orochimaru not only gave her everything she wanted, he gave her everything she _needed_! He mended her broken heart!" Tsunade defended, glaring at Kakashi.

"So you would allow a traitor to run free just because he made Sakura happy?" he said angrily.

"Yes!" Tsunade shouted.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head, turning and heading for the door. He was finished with this conversation. He wanted nothing else to do with it. He said one last thing before he exited the door.

"The rumors were true then," he said in a low tone. "Haruno Sakura was said to have surpassed you." He turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Apparently she has."

* * *

(1) I'd been spending a lot of time thinking about how Sakura was going to heal him. I combined some of the basics I retrieved from Naruto and combined them with what I learned when I spent a unit studying the human body. Some of it probably doesn't sound possible but I tried to make it understandable. That was really just my take on what was wrong with him rather than how the facts would point out. And anyway, I'm still not entirely sure what it was that the Third did but the blue stuff was either Orochimaru's soul or his chakra and I found the chakra to be easier to work with, though there was actually a part that involved someone's soul.

(2) I read somewhere that you can tell a person is lying when they say each word instead of saying them how they normally would.

Yeah, so, you've got it all together now! The big fight scene (er, well, I'm making it seem like it's big when in reality I can't write a fight scene to save my life, so it might turn out a _lot_ worse than my normal work. Heh, the _sex scenes_ are better than my fight scenes) is coming up next chapter! That, and the big trial! Then Tsunade and Kakashi get into a fight! -Squirms with glee- Apparently, in my mind, anyway, the story just keeps on getting better!

**Oh my God!** Well, I've just recently figured out how to check how many hits I've got for my stories and I checked this one. I practically fell out of my seat. Literally, I was staring at the screen for about twenty minutes before I realized what I was staring at. OrochimaruSakura is a really rare pairing so I wan't expecting more than five hundred, though definitely no more than 2,000 hits. I checked it and it currently stands (meaning before I posted this) at **13,005 hits!** 13,005! I was like, holy shit! I really never expected that many people to bother with this story and whoosh! 13,005 hits!

So thanks to all of you wonderful people, those who reviewed and those who just bothered to read! I'm so glad so many people enjoy this! Anyway, chapter 10 is going to be reaaalllyy long! I've got a decent amount of it done, I don't know much about _how_ much, but I want to say near half. However, there are some points I know people will probably get pissy about, so anyone who bothers to read _this_ I'd like to direct your attention below.

**IMPORTANT: Sasuke and Sakura may fight but I'm only going to make them fight if you want me to. I've got it all mapped out for if they fight and if they don't, I just need to finalize it.**

Regardless, Sasuke's going to get his ass kicked. There's going to be a _lot_ of mushy stuff in there, one lime that you're all going to hate me for and one lemon, two miracles, some training, a battle, then lots and lots of angst and suffering. There may be a smidge of happiness at the end but it depends on how you interpret it. For those of you who read my KisameSakura story "Apple Blossom Tea" and said you shed tears over the funeral chapter, chapter 10 is going to be **_so_** much worse. Just a warning!

All in all, chapter 10 means you'll laugh, you'll cry (maybe), you'll jump up and down with joy, and you'll scream and swear at me violently and claim you'll hunt me down and kill me.

So, I'll take my leave and hope to see you back for next chapter, possibly the greatest chapter of the story (depending on who you are). Don't forget to review, please! Till later!

Backlash Symphony


	10. Nothing Left to Break

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Nothing Left to Break

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Pale" by Within Temptation  
"Porcelain Heart" by The Barlow Girl  
"Clear the Area" by Imogen Heap  
"Must Be Dreaming" by Frou Frou  
"Suffocation" by Papa Roach  
"Ghost of You" by My Chemical Romance  
"Suicide is Painless" by Marilyn Manson

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Pale" by Within Temptation, "Porcelain Heart" by The Barlow Girl, "Clear the Area" by Imogen Heap, "Must Be Dreaming" by Frou Frou, "Suffocation" by Papa Roach. "Ghost of You" by My Chemical Romance, "Suicide is Painless" by Marilyn Manson, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

**WARNING: Sex, violence, attempted rape, attempted suicide, character death, character resurrection, OOCness (death tends to do that), MAJOR darkness.**

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! A big thanks to:

**evilteddybear  
randomkrn  
Chryseis Wyvernsen  
Dracling  
Monomaniacal  
-Shinobi-Of-Sound-  
kakashisninjadogs  
ghettofabgurl89  
Marsgoddess1  
Luv's-lyric  
CeliaSparrow  
emir  
Elena Unduli  
Sakaki  
Demon King Piccolo  
Mrs. Kyou Souma  
Anime and Manga Girls  
AsianOne  
Lady Seiryu  
Lady Jaja  
MizukiSch  
loves-winged-dark-angel  
Genaric Person**

* * *

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Flashback

* * *

Sakura nearly leapt a foot into the air, giving a high pitched cry, as a set of arms snaked around her waist, pulling her back against a muscular chest. She stiffened and lifted her arm, bending it, about to elbow whoever it was behind her when the man holding her chuckled. She let her arm drop to hold his hand, closing her eyes and leaning back into his comforting hold. She could feel his lips against the shell of her ear, his breath teasing the soft strands of pink hair that surrounded it.

"Sakura," he whispered, loving the shiver that ran through her body.

She squealed in delight and spun around in his arms, wrapping her own around his back. She looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Where did you go?" she whined, grasping the cloth beneath her fingers.

He threw her his usual smirk, chuckling.

"Nowhere you need to concern yourself with," he explained, pulling her closer.

She pouted adorably and made a small whimpering sound in the back of her throat. He could just make out the quirk of her lips as she tried not to smile. There was a look in her eyes beneath the pouting one that made him believe she was going to do or say something that would annoy him. At her next statement, however, he sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. Sometimes, he _really_ hated being right.

"But _Chi-kun_," she moaned, "I was worried..."

He did notice that he didn't seem to be nearly as annoyed with her calling him by that nickname as by the other women who did.

"And now I'm back, all in one piece," he assured her, smoothing her hair back from her face.

He glanced over Sakura's shoulder and took a look at the papers she had in front of her. Her neat handwriting consisting of meticulous notes and diagrams covered the scattered papers from top to bottom. Small colored vials were in a bowl near the edge of the table, and some colored sketches were stacked at the corner. It appeared that Sakura had been working on the method to cure his arms nearly the entire time he'd been gone, perhaps hoping to surprise him with some progress in her research.

"I've figured most of the process out," she whispered happily, holding onto Orochimaru more tightly. "I only need to develop the correct seal that will keep the chakra walls in place without disintegrating over time," she explained. "After I do, it'll be permanent. Your arms will be back to normal and you'll be able to do anything you want with them," she sighed, voice lowering.

Orochimaru looked down at the woman in his arms with shock clearly written on his face.

'She figured out a way to completely heal me in less than three weeks?' he thought, amazed.

"What's the catch?" he asked softly, pushing her away from him slightly so he could see her face.

"It'll be painful to put the chakra walls in, er, chakra _gates_ would be more appropriate," she explained, wincing as she fought a disturbing image in her head. "It's a lengthy process, you see, that requires complete and total concentration, probably about a day or two to complete," she paused, checking his expression, "since the gates need to be created first before they can be put in."

He nodded and ruffled her hair, causing her to cry out and move back. He grinned before leaning forward and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She melted in his arms and pulled him closer, absorbing the heat that came from him. Her fingers ran through his midnight tresses, pressing herself closer to deepen the kiss more. The tips of his fingers traced the line of her jaw before he pulled away from her, smirking at her sound of protest.

"I'm going to go find Kabuto," he explained. "I'll come back and we can do something relaxing, alright?" He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before turning and walking out of the lab.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head slightly, and touched her lips with the tips of her fingers. She smiled.

"Men," she said, amused, and got back to searching for the seal that would be needed to complete the design for the chakra gates.

* * *

Two and a half hours later and Kabuto found himself in the kitchen going over Orochimaru's excuse for leaving without a word, when Sakura came bursting into the room, face lit brighter than a Christmas tree. She was practically jumping up and down in joy and happy waves were coming off of her in powerful motions. Kabuto was cut off mid-sentence in his thoughts as Sakura's arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. He stiffened noticeably and Sakura released him.

"What's made you so happy?" he asked suspiciously, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, nearly jumping up. "I found the seal! You were right!"

Kabuto raised an eyebrow at the news. She had figured it out? He was right with the last minute advice he'd added?

"Really?" he said, half laughing.

She nodded her head rapidly.

"It was the death seal that worked! I kept thinking one of the life seals would work since the point is to bring his arms back to life but the death seal was the one that worked!" she explained hurriedly.

Kabuto smiled his heart-melting smile, closed eyes and all, and stood up, mouth opening to say something when he was cut off by Sakura.

"Ahhh, that smile makes you look so _cuuute_!" she squealed, voice high-pitched.

Kabuto blinked a few times, looking down at the pink haired woman less than two feet in front of him. He blinked again.

'Did she just say...I was _cute_?'

He suddenly found Sakura pressed against him, hugging him. He could feel her lips in a wide smile against his shoulder and was frozen like that. A pink tinge spread over the bridge of his nose and upper cheeks as he shifted uncomfortably.

She felt incredibly giddy, hence the reason for her strange actions. But who wouldn't if the man they loved had just been proven to that he would be completely healed, and that they were the ones who developed the research for the cure? If Kabuto hadn't come to check on her, she never would've gotten his opinion on more seals she could use, and that meant that she would've been stuck for days, weeks, maybe even months looking for a new seal or trying to develop one.

He deserved every ounce of happiness she could give him. As for the cute comment? Inner Sakura was enjoying Outer Sakura's lowered defenses a little too much...

"Would you like to get to work on making the chakra gates, now, Sakura?" he asked hesitantly, gulping slightly at the thought of someone walking in on them like that.

Sakura immediately let go, something that relieved Kabuto greatly, only to have her hands wrap around his and pull him along behind her. He momentarily lost his balance as she rocketed out of the kitchen but caught up almost immediately. The two raced down the halls, dodging the random people that were moving along the way, and ended up in the lab quickly. Sakura picked up a sheet of paper from the clutter on the desk and handed it to Kabuto, allowing him time to look it over.

Kabuto took the sheet offered to him and began reading it, paying careful attention to the specific notes and the diagrams. He had to admit, he truly was impressed with Sakura's incredible healing abilities and her methods of research and development, but half of his mind wanted to simply tear up every single bit of information because he wasn't the one who came up with something to help Orochimaru.

"So, you think we can finish all one hundred of these by tonight?" she asked hopefully.

Kabuto, pulled from his thoughts, placed the paper on the desk and looked at her, showing her the smile that he knew she loved seeing.

"I suggest we get to work then."

Sakura agreed and hurried to collect all the papers and vials off the desk and place them in a neat pile on one of the side counters. She kept the diagram and the procedure sheet, stapling them together and placing them between herself and Kabuto to look at for reference when creating a chakra gate. She sighed heavily, incredibly happy that this was the final step before she could heal Orochimaru, the final step before she could completely take the place as the greatest medic in the world.

"Um, Kabuto, there's something I want to ask you before we start," Sakura said suddenly, voice nervous.

He turned to look at her, noting the gentle blush on her face. She bit her lip, looking up at him.

"Er, Yuni called you her _sensei_ on the phone...and..."

Kabuto started to laugh. Loudly. He was thoroughly amused with Sakura at the statement.

"Yes, what you heard was correct," he nodded.

"But I heard parts of the conversation...teachers and students...aren't supposed to..."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly.

"We all have our preferences, Sakura," he explained. "Besides, Kakashi's been after you since the day he handed you over to Tsunade."

Sakura looked at Kabuto with wide eyes.

"You're kidding me..." she gasped.

"Aren't you little Miss Dense," he mumbled, earning a glare from Sakura. "Did you really think the Icha Icha book for your _eighteenth birthday_ was a joke? All the looks he gave you that were more than friendly? The extra touches that you figured were equivalent to gaining a closer friendship? Why do you think Naruto broke up with you? Because Kakashi convinced him to. That necklace? He paid for most of it, got it specially designed and handpicked all of the diamonds."

Sakura stood in awe at his words. Kakashi...was _interested_? _Hatake_ Kakashi? Lazy porno reading Kakashi? Interested in _her_? And she never noticed?

"...Oh..."

But then something snapped in her head.

"Wait, how do you know all of this?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at Kabuto.

"Hello, spy, remember?" he teased.

Sakura sighed and shook her head, not planning on bothering with him any more. There were too many ways this coversation could end, and none of them were looking too good for Kabuto.

"If I find out you spied on me more than necessary, and you _know_ what I mean, your ass is toast, got it?" she threatened.

"Wheat or Multi-grain?" he countered playfully, smirking.

Sakura clicked her tongue in annoyance but couldn't help but smile at him.

"Idiot," she muttered, beginning to laugh.

Shaking her head, she turned away from him and faced the desk.

"Let's get this over with," she smiled.

She sketched the diagram into her mind, allowing her chakra to fuse together to begin the outline of the gate.

"Wheat or Multi-grain? Jeez..."

The two were there for hours, having begun at one in the afternoon. Sakura had the diagram burned into her head and didn't need to think to create a new chakra gate. The procedure was on instant replay in her head, and over and over she went through it, making sure she understood exactly what it was that she would be doing to Orochimaru.

She knew that the first ten minutes of the procedure would involve an injection that would speed up the process of his arms dying, though it would halt the disintegration once the skin was completely gone. When the time amount finished, she would begin to insert the chakra gates along his muscles, making sure to cover every part of the muscles, a process that would take at least another six hours, before moving on and waiting an hour to be sure the gates settled into his muscles. Once she was through with that, she had to redevelop the chakra circulatory system and leave it to be connected later when she finished, another lengthy task. After that, the nerves had to be reconnected to the muscles through the gates and restring them to meet with his spine. This would take at least five hours. The skin and muscles then had to be healed and recreated with fresh cells and then connected to the new nerves. Once that was complete, the final step in the procedure would be to connect the chakra circulatory tubes and activate the chakra gates.

In total, the procedure would take one full day, at least, to complete, and she honestly didn't know if she'd be able to stay awake long enough. She didn't know if she was going to be able to pull it off, even. The procedure, though incredibly lengthy, was a very delicate one. If she had to stop and wait for her chakra to recover, she didn't know what would happen to Orochimaru.

She also wasn't sure how Orochimaru would react to the news, either, since she knew he would immediately figure out that using up so much chakra might harm the baby. Sakura figured she could set aside enough chakra in her reserves to link to the baby while she used as much as she could of the rest of her chakra. It seemed like it would work to her.

At 12:30, Sakura and Kabuto finally finished creating all of the chakra gates. Sakura was ready to fall to the floor, completely exhausted. Kabuto, totally wiped himself, though in much better condition than Sakura, easily lifted her and held her bridal style in his arms, noting how she practically fell asleep on his shoulder. He walked her to her shared room and knocked gently on the door, knowing that loud noise wouldn't wake Sakura in the state she was in but being thoughtful on the subject, nonetheless.

"Come in," Orochimaru called out.

Kabuto opened the door, holding Sakura tighter to him, and walked through the opening. Orochimaru took one look before setting down the book he had in his hand and hopping off of the bed, rushing towards them.

"What happened?" he demanded, taking the slumbering Sakura from Kabuto and heading to the bed to set her down.

Kabuto didn't answer, rather he pulled the papers he had relied on the entire evening from a pocket and handed them to Orochimaru. The sannin took the papers and looked them over, eyes widening at certain parts and narrowing at others. By the time he was finished, his arm was shaking and he roughly handed them back to Kabuto who slid them into his pocket. He walked back over to Sakura, pulling her hair from its ponytail, sighing heavily.

"I didn't want her to do this yet, and look where it's gotten..."

Kabuto nodded, turning to leave.

"She did it because she loves you, Orochimaru, but you don't want her to because of what it is that _you_ have to do to _her_."

Orochimaru didn't respond, merely settled on the bed next to Sakura, pulling her next to him, and forcing his raging mind to quiet so he could sleep. It wouldn't help to think about his meeting with Tsunade. It wouldn't help to think that the moment he had been waiting for was so close, the destruction of Konoha was finally within reach. It wouldn't help to think that he had found someone who devoted herself so deeply to him with every intention of helping him without personal gain. It wouldn't help to think about the fact that he would have to hurt her worse than she'd ever been hurt before.

* * *

Sakura woke up to the continuously comforting scent she had grown accustomed to these past weeks with Orochimaru. She woke up in sheets that smelled like him, bathed with items that produced similar and fainter smells of him, walked around in clothing that also smelled faintly like him, slept each night with him and repeated the process again the next day. She snuggled deeper into the hard muscled chest and felt his arms tighten around her.

Arms.

Her eyes shot open and she bolted up, mind set in the most serious mode she could be in. She slid from the sheets and rushed to the bathroom, tossing the book in a hurry to bathe. Orochimaru sat up, watching Sakura, completely confused. He didn't understand why she had gotten up so quickly. He sighed and moved to lay back down when her voice shouted from the still open bathroom.

"Get up!"

'So much for sleeping in,' he sighed.

He got out of bed and shrugged into the outfit that was lying already prepared on the table. Just as he finished, Sakura came out of the bathroom rapidly drying her hair with a towel. She took one glance at him and shook her head, tossing some clothes in her hand at him.

"Change into these," she ordered, dropping the towel onto the bed and sliding her legs into a pair of black shorts that came up to mid-thigh.

She pulled a spaghetti strap top, also black, over her head and onto her body. She noticed the look he had that implied he was going to argue.

"_Don't_ argue with me, just do it," she snapped, rushing past him to the table where a freshly written on scroll sat.

She heard the rustling of clothes behind her and knew he was changing outfits. She held the scroll in her hand and ran to the door, looking over her shoulder at Orochimaru.

"Go straight to the kitchen when you're done!"

She didn't have time to hear his complaint as she sped through the halls and into the lab. Kabuto was busy moving papers and vials to make space for all the new chakra gates when she burst into the room, tossing the scroll to him. Although his back was to her, he still caught it easily without looking and placed it next to the table Orochimaru would be laying on. Kabuto held three small vials in his hand and she snatched them, pulling on his sleeve.

"Thanks!" she breathed, pulling him with her. "Now let's go!"

The two ran to the kitchen to find a very annoyed Sasuke sitting opposite an even more annoyed Orochimaru. Both had their arms crossed over their chests and were glaring at each other. Kabuto coughed into his hand to cover his laughter and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Don't act like five-year-olds in time-out, please!" she scolded, moving to the fridge to reach in for something. "Orange juice or milk, Orochimaru?"

"Orange juice," he muttered, sighing, though slightly suspicious. "Why are you in such a rush this morning?"

Sakura retrieved the carton of orange juice, checking the date to make sure it was still safe to drink, before pulling out three glasses and pouring the juice halfway up each glass.

"With Kabuto's help, I found the seal that'll work. We stayed up late last night making the gates so we're all ready to start the procedure," she explained, refraining from specifically telling him they were ready to heal his arms due to Sasuke's presence.

Orochimaru nearly fell out of his seat.

"_What_?"

She walked over with the three glasses and set them down in front of him, smiling brightly.

"Just start by drinking these. Wait ten seconds between each glass," she explained, placing one hand on her hip.

He looked skeptical at the glasses but even more so at Sakura. He really wanted his arms healed but he knew he was only going to hurt her once they were healed. However, he knew she would pry once he denied any help from her on the subject. He didn't want to hurt her and the baby but he knew she was smart enough to be able to figure it out once he declined. Reluctantly he reached for one of the glasses, bringing it to his lips.

He noted Sasuke's confusion but tilted his head back, downing the orange juice in one gulp. His eyes suddenly squeezed shut and he held back the urge to throw up. Sakura made a sympathetic face, knowing how bad the fluid tasted that she'd added in.

"Ten seconds, then the next one. Sorry about the taste," she smiled apologetically, a soft blush on her cheeks.

He sent a half-lidded glare at her before downing the next glass. The same reaction happened and he repeated the process after ten seconds. Sakura's hands grabbed Orochimaru's shoulders and pulled him from the chair.

"Alright, let's get you settled," she said hurriedly, fairly running towards the lab with Orochimaru.

Kabuto remained in the kitchen to make sure Sasuke didn't follow. When the couple arrived at the lab, Orochimaru spouted questions left and right, none of which Sakura answered.

"Shirt off, lay on the table," she said, looking at the watch that he never knew she had on. "Come on, hurry, hurry, your arms will begin their destruction in five minutes and you aren't prepped yet! Come on!"

With a shove, Orochimaru fell backwards onto the table. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the floor while Sakura searched for something on the desk. She made a sound of triumph and picked something up. He heard crunching, as if she were chewing on something, before she turned around and tossed a small round ball to Orochimaru. He caught it between his pointer finger and thumb and looked at it.

"It's a soldier pill," he stated flatly.

"Just eat it already!" she snapped, almost violently opening the scroll she'd taken that morning. "The process is incredibly time consuming. Just do what I say and we can get you all healed up, alright?"

She produced a kunai from the desktop and slit the tip of her finger. Walking over to Orochimaru, she did the same to his finger and wiped it onto her hand. Using her blood, she wrote a seal on his chest. A half circle that was left open with a Naruto swirl where the center of a whole circle would be. Small markings completed the circle but she left four spaces open. She made the remaining markings with Orochimaru's blood before making a straight line down to his belly button, making a sideways '3'.

She pulled away as Orochimaru looked down to see the seal, cocking a brow. As Sakura made a move to cross something off of the scroll, she heard Orochimaru give a loud moan of pain and spun to take a look. His face was contorted in pain and she could see patches of his skin beginning to disintegrate. It killed her inside to see him in so much pain but she knew that it was going to be worth it.

"As soon as the skin goes away completely, I'll start inserting the chakra gates. Hang in there, Orochimaru, we're just getting started," she said calmly, hoping it would calm him down.

She could already see the rest of the skin being destroyed and his breathing becoming faster. She turned around once more and grabbed a box that held half of the chakra gates. She silently thanked Kabuto for organizing them this way. It would make things move faster, _much_ faster. Pulling up a stool, she watched the remaining skin disappear completely. Reaching her hand into the box, she took in a deep breath and pulled out the first of fifty glowing blue chakra gates. She carefully lined it up on his shoulder, half of it covering skin, the other half touching the muscle.

Using the tip of her finger, she pushed green chakra out and spread it to the opposite side of the flat gate, attaching it to the already overly sensitive muscle, burning it past the blood and into the muscle. She heard him make a soft noise in his throat but ignored it, continuing with the step. Once the gate was completely connected into the muscle, she reached down and pulled another chakra gate from the box, lining it up the same way as the first gate, only this time making sure she had a small portion of the second gate overlapping the first one.

She continued with this until she had one row of chakra gates successfully buried into the bleeding muscles, each overlapping each other. She set out on the second row, repeating the process. Each new gate would absorb a part of her healing chakra in order to completely bind with his muscles. Each would overlap with the last to make sure the connection would constantly hold. By the time she reached the beginning of his hand, Orochimaru had already passed out from the pain.

Sakura ended up working faster this way, not having to have her heart clench every time she heard him cry out or scream from the hurt she was putting him through. After four and a half hours, his entire right arm was completely covered with chakra gates. She stood, stretched quickly, and replaced the empty box with the other full box of chakra gates. Grabbing the stool, she moved to his other side, reached into the box, grabbed a gate, and repeated the procedure.

By the time nine hours passed since the beginning of his healing, she had finished gating both arms and moved to get ready for the next task that she would begin in an hour. She silently thanked Kabuto for the soldier pills. He must've known she couldn't stay up long enough as well as have enough chakra to continuously perform to her fullest. Although she'd had them before, Kabuto added something to the ones he specially made that actually made her hyper and feel like she had the energy to burn rather than make her feel like she always did just with the additional knowledge that the energy was there, she just didn't know. The difference, however, was that Kabuto's only worked up to two days, not even a full promise they'd work that long.

One hour passed fairly quickly and near the end of the hour, Orochimaru was conscious again. Although it was evident he was still in incredible pain, he did his best not to make any noise. She gave him her best comforting smile.

"We're getting there," she said reassuringly, and she set out to redevelop his chakra circulatory system.

He was already mostly dazed because of the pain and didn't ask her what she was doing, knowing even better than that anyways to keep his mouth shut so she didn't accidentally make a mistake.

She quietly probed the chakra tubes around his heart to get an image go which type of tubes she would need to recreate. Once she got the type she made a copy of a fragment of the chakra tube and began to produce more fragments, knitting them together in swirls around his arms and hands. Three hours later, she repeated the recreation to add another layer to already developed chakra tubes. This passed the time of another four hours. She remembered not to connect them to the regular pathways just yet.

She reached a glowing hand up and wiped the sweat off of her forehead and cheeks, and was just about to begin the next segment when Kabuto walked in. Sakura gave a relieved sigh.

"Just in time," she said happily. "Would you help me turn him over please?"

Kabuto nodded and walked towards her.

"Flip him towards you," he said softly, grabbing Orochimaru's shoulders.

Sakura nodded and pressed her hands to his sides, pulling him up and over onto his stomach. After adjusting his head, fingers lingering on his cheek, she forced the chakra back into her hands and moved them to the top of his arms, beginning to rebuild the nerves, stringing them back to his spine where they were connected to their original positions. After another six hours, both arms were completely finished with nerve production.

Kabuto signed something off on the scroll and smiled softly, helping Sakura flip Orochimaru off of his front and onto his back once again.

"Skin and muscle recreation."

Sakura nodded and pushed her healing chakra into his arms. She recreated the skin and muscles from scratch and made sure to do it properly and effectively, taking longer than she did back in the shower in Mist. Another two hours went by and Sakura sighed. She was beginning to get tired; she knew it by the way she was beginning to get lazy with her movements, though mentally she still felt as energetic as a five-year-old on Halloween candy.

Sakura sighed again, hating the next part. Connecting the nerves. She really didn't want to but she needed to finish this. More chakra was pressed into his arms, pulling the cells of his skin and muscles to meet the nerves before threading them through to be in their original placing. Orochimaru let out a long hiss from between clenched teeth.

"Hang in there, Orochimaru, we're almost completely finished," she said gently.

Another half an hour went by before she finished, and a new smile lit up her face.

"This is the last step, Orochimaru, the _last step_."

Kabuto could tell she was excited for having made it this far but he could tell she was nervous. Although he knew she was afraid all of this work wouldn't turn out to fix Orochimaru, at least half of him wanted her to fail, to show Orochimaru that's what he got for picking someone over him. _Twice_. He got a stuck-up snob who got his ass easily kicked by a single poke from a _girl_ and a girl who raved on and on about her skills and failed, while he sat there and accepted it all and didn't complain. Orochimaru would see he was the right one, not the _kids_.

But part of him prayed she would get it right, wanted to see someone Sasuke thought beneath him rise up and put him in his place.

Slightly shaking fingers pressed against his shoulders at the same time. Sakura pressed her knees against Orochimaru's side on the table, leaning over him. With a look at Kabuto and nod from him, she pressed her chakra into her fingertips and pulled together the tubes of his chakra circulatory system, connecting the fibers and sewing the openings together. She reinforced the entire chakra circulatory system, every tube in his body, with a third and final layer. Another five hours went by.

She was now on the very last task of the procedure. She needed to activate the chakra gates. She nodded to Kabuto who sliced the tip of his finger with a kunai and drew the remaining marks across the line above his belly button. With two sets of heart halves and some more kanji, Kabuto and Sakura pressed their hands together and formed the same set of seals before both pressed their hands to an arm, Sakura taking the left, Kabuto taking the right.

What was left of Sakura's chakra and the soldier pill went into the activation of the chakra gates, yet the seal on Orochimaru's chest didn't glow like it was supposed to. Sakura felt her stomach drop. Something was wrong! Why wasn't it working? It was supposed to work! She looked up at Kabuto who was looking confused while she was shocked. She felt tears well up in her eyes and tried hard not to let any fall. However, all of this hard work mixed with the exhaustion and the embarrassment, as well as the absolute horrid failure, forced one single tear to pass her closing eyelids.

The tear hit the Naruto mark in the center of the circle and Sakura was about to pull away when the seal began to glow brightly, glittering with multicolored chakra, some blue, some green, and even some pink, though she had no idea where it came from. The pained expression and the dazed look in Orochimaru's eyes disappeared slowly as Sakura fell backwards and onto her butt on the floor.

"Sakura!" Kabuto cried out, rushing around Orochimaru and to her side.

Sakura was now the one looking dazed as Kabuto helped her up, having to support most of her weight due to her lack of chakra. Orochimaru groaned softly in an attempt to move. The seal had been absorbed into his body so his chest was bare once again, and his eyes scanned his arms, checking for anything different. He didn't feel different and he looked the same.

'What changed?'

He struggled to get to a sitting position and Kabuto set Sakura down on the stool next to the table. She leaned forward heavily, exhaustion now clear on her suddenly pale features.

"Try a jutsu," she spoke softly, so softly Orochimaru hardly heard her.

"So far you've only been able to do the henge jutsu, so maybe you should try something more complicated?" Kabuto suggested.

Orochimaru looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers slightly as he thought of an appropriate jutsu to test.

"What was the one you used on Naruto back during the Chuunin exams?" Sakura asked, looking at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru nodded and formed the one hand-sign seal and drew his fingers up, spread out.

(1)"Gogyō Fūin," he said firmly.

Nothing happened for a moment, and then suddenly, the magenta colored flames lit his fingers one by one. His eyes widened as he stared at his hand, Sakura gasping beside him.

"It actually worked," Kabuto murmured in awe.

"It actually worked," Orochimaru repeated, shaking his hand to put out the flames.

Sakura made a noise of approval before she fell off of the stool, asleep before she hit the ground.

* * *

Sakura felt a set of lips brushing across her neck, lighting the skin and warming her up. She moaned softly, tilting her head to the side so the lips would press harder against more exposed flesh. The lips trailed over her jaw and finally settled over her own. Immediately she kissed back, though it was lazy as she was still sleepy. Slowly, the kiss fired up and her fingers twisted into his hair. It was 30 seconds later when she realized something wasn't right with the kiss.

First, the tongue wasn't thin or long like Orochimaru's. Second, Orochimaru didn't have short or spiky hair. Sakura quickly shoved the shoulders of the person kissing her, breaking the kiss, and opening her eyes, letting out a gasp of shock.

"Sasuke!" she screeched, shooting up into a sitting position only to be hit with a wave of dizziness.

She groaned and fell back to her original position. Apparently, her chakra was still incredibly low. Plus, Sasuke had just tried to make out with her and she hadn't known he wasn't Orochimaru.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" she snapped at him, glaring daggers at his smirking face.

"Exactly what it was you were doing back to me."

His lips were suddenly on hers again, though this time she was fully awake. She twisted violently, keeping her lips pressed together, and did her best to wiggle out from beneath him. She summoned all the strength she had and kneed his leg as hard as she could, knowing there would at least be the makings of a bruise within a few hours, and heard a pleasured groan pass his lips. She froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

'Oh _fuck no._'

Terror slowly wove its way around her, clenching her tightly. She shook her head.

'_He likes pain!_' Inner Sakura screamed.

"No!" Sakura yelled, realizing what Sasuke was planning to do to her.

She writhed violently beneath him and arched her back, for some strange reason knocking him off of her. She tumbled from the bed sheets and landed on all fours on the floor. She forced the dizziness away as she tripped on her own feet to stand. She made an attempt to run for the door but her body couldn't be supported by her legs and she collapsed against the wall. She needed more chakra, but she had nowhere to get it and her body wasn't producing it fast enough.

She heard Sasuke's somewhat dark chuckle, thoroughly amused, and his footsteps as he closed in on her. She slid down the wall, not even able to use it to keep herself up any longer. He crouched down in front of her, brushing his knuckles across her cheek. Her body trembled in fear, knowing she was helpless now. She didn't have enough chakra or strength to hurt him badly enough to make an escape, but with the strength she did have she could only cause him harm that brought him pleasure.

"Please, Sasuke," she begged, tears filling her eyes, "_please_, just leave me alone."

He sighed, closing his eyes. Sakura assumed he was thinking it over but nearly screamed when he opened his eyes to reveal the crimson Sharingan. His hand planted firmly over her mouth and it wasn't like anyone was going to hear her anyway. She tried to look away from him but she was drawn in by the semi-hypnotic power the Sharingan held. She didn't want to relax, she didn't want to feel him, but his Sharingan manipulated her body into believing she was safe with no need to be afraid.

His free hand slid onto her thigh and he drew his other hand away from her mouth, bringing it down to her other thigh, both hands sliding closer to her center. She furiously tried to force her mind into countering the Sharingan, yelling that it was all a lie and that she was betraying Orochimaru by allowing Sasuke to touch her.

It didn't work.

His hands spread her legs further apart before pushing Sakura higher up the wall. Once he was standing straight he settled himself between her legs, pressing forward so their hips were firmly against one another's. He heard her gasp and smirked, pressing harder. Using his body to hold hers up, he pulled her hands to him before pressing them underneath the hem of his shirt, guiding them higher under his shirt and over his chest.

Sakura was panting now from the wasted energy of fighting against his Sharingan. She felt the hard muscles of his chest as she was forced to touch him and would be cringing if she could. She didn't _want_ to touch him! She didn't want him touching her!

"This is what will happen if you stop fighting it, Sakura," Sasuke said softly.

Sakura didn't have time to think before she was suddenly pulled into a genjutsu created by Sasuke. Everything was black. She couldn't see anything, at first. Slowly, the area in front of her lit up, though she could only make out the figures of shadows, not actual people. It was then when she heard the sounds that she had become associated with whenever she was with Orochimaru on most nights with him.

Her eyes widened in horror as the picture brightened to reveal Sasuke on top of her in bed. Her back was continuously arching into him, taking in more and more of him as her mouth spewed needy moans and airy pants. Her fingers were pale from gripping the sheets so tightly and every few seconds she would call out his name.

"_Sasuke! Oh, Sasuke!_" the image gasped, legs winding around his waist to pull him deeper into her.

The real Sakura stood there in horror. No, no, no! She would _never_ give him the satisfaction of _that_!

The genjutsu began to _tremble_, in a sense, and Sakura was confused as to why. Was Sasuke using too much chakra to maintain the Sharingan? No, he'd only been using it for about two minutes, most likely less. Sakura wasn't complaining, however, because she didn't have to watch herself by the standards Sasuke was picturing. She just wanted to know why the picture was fading.

She never really enjoyed having Inner Sakura, really, she never did. However, at that exact moment, she had never been so happy to see the Inner version of herself appear, panting slightly, but appear, nonetheless, and completely shatter the image. She gave a thumbs up to the outer version before the entire hold Sasuke's Sharingan held on her broke.

Sasuke seemed confused at first but that quickly evolved into anger. Sakura didn't even understand how Inner Sakura had broken the trance she was in, but apparently, Sasuke never knew it was possible for someone to break through the Sharingan. Sakura forced her eyes closed as she silently rejoiced on the inside. Just her luck, however, that the door was about to open. Sasuke leapt back a few feet, Sakura sliding down the wall again and landing harshly onto her butt. She yelped slightly and Kabuto walked through the opening.

He froze, looking from Sasuke's pissed expression and slightly heaving chest to Sakura's pained expression (including swollen lips) and weak posture against the wall. Slowly he rested his gaze on Sasuke.

"What exactly am I interrupting?" he asked slowly and suspiciously.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but immediately shut it once Sasuke glared at her. He turned to shoot a glare at Kabuto before walking towards him.

"None of your damn business," he snapped, purposely bumping into him as he exited the room.

The moment the door slammed shut he was at Sakura's side, pulling her into a hug. The moment she tensed in his hold, his suspicions were correct.

"He tried to rape you, didn't he?"

Sakura nodded slowly against his chest and wound weak arms around his neck. She deemed now the perfect time to let those tears flow, despite the fact that she had successfully disengaged the powerful Sharingan. She would never say (or think) she hated her inner self again.

"Are you going to tell Orochimaru?" she asked between sobs.

Kabuto rubbed her back soothingly.

"Not if you don't want me to," he said. "He's already stressed about the baby and the fact that you pulled off healing his arms, not to mention the battle with Konoha," Kabuto explained.

Sakura's eyes widened, but Kabuto couldn't tell.

"Why would Konoha fight Orochimaru?" she asked, shocked.

"You're very valuable to them, and the fact that you healed Orochimaru's arms when even Tsunade thought they were unable to be healed just goes to show them that you're worth more than they thought," Kabuto explained.

"That seems to be happening a lot," she said bitterly.

"Indeed, it does."

* * *

The rest of the day was spent bathing and reading while bathing for Sakura. She gradually regained every bit of lost chakra by the time she decided to leave the warm and steamy confines of the bathroom later that evening. Although she felt cleaner now that she had spent quite a long time scrubbing Sasuke off of her skin, she couldn't get the thoughts out of her head. How could he do something like that to her? Why would he? Did he know that Orochimaru would easily be able to kill him for doing something, attempting that?

"Sakura."

'Speak of the devil.'

"Orochimaru!" she said with a smile, jogging over to stand in front of him.

She took a quick look at his arms and noticed they seemed completely normal. She rolled her eyes.

'Yeah, completely normal apart from the hands pulsing with bright blue chakra,' Inner Sakura added.

"It worked."

Sakura looked up at him, seeing the proud look on his face directed at her. She blushed and nodded.

"It certainly did," she gestured to his glowing hands.

He waved his hands and the chakra pulled back, one hand reaching to stroke her cheek.

"There are no doubts in my mind that you've just joined the ranks of sannin," he said, amused.

Sakura reached her hand up to hold his, leaning into it. She closed her eyes, smiling softly.

"I'm still not good enough, Orochimaru. My fighting skills need quite a bit of work, mostly my taijutsu. Genjutsu is a breeze and ninjutsu is nearly as much of a breeze but I'm too slow for taijutsu," she explained.

"Ah, but you have strategies that apply to taijutsu that would boost your performance, and you've gotten faster ever since you arrived here. Your fighting skills are still high enough to be one of us and by adding your medical skills to a fight-"

Sakura's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Medical skills in a fight?"

Orochimaru blinked, looking at her strangely.

"You've never used medical ninjutsu in a fight before?" he asked skeptically.

She shook her head, releasing his hand from hers. She saw him smirk as his golden eyes burned brighter. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the door.

"We'll need to get you some lessons from Kabuto, then," he explained. "If Kabuto says you're good to go with medical ninjutsu in a fight, then you'll have to learn to accept that you're at my level."

The two headed to the kitchen to find Kabuto. After Orochimaru explained what he wanted Kabuto to do, Kabuto did a quick check on her chakra before agreeing. He led her to train outside while Orochimaru sat down and watched.

"Er, Orochimaru, if I'm supposed to be a sannin level, doesn't that mean I have to be able to beat Kabuto and Sasuke? Eh, and Kakashi and Naruto?" she queried, looking at Orochimaru with a mix of fear and disbelief.

"More or less," he said calmly.

"Then there's absolutely no way I could be a sannin," she whined.

"You need more confidence in yourself. I certainly _know_ you're capable of beating Sasuke but _you_ don't seem to believe in yourself enough to produce more than two hits against him," Orochimaru explained before ruffling her hair gently. "Now, go start with Kabuto. I'll be here watching."

Sakura nodded with a smile and ran off to meet Kabuto.

Over the course of the next few hours, the pair battled by moonlight. Kabuto showed her how to transform the small medical techniques into larger more damaging attacks. He explained how the chakra scalpel was used and he showed her the seals to create it along with multiple other medical ninjutsu she'd never thought to use as attacks, although he had to remind her when she tried out each attack that she was aiming for the opposite of healing. She was aiming to destroy.

By the time they were done after three hours, she had perfected each attack and was comfortable using them in her fights.

* * *

"You know, I've been thinking," Sakura said, snuggling against Orochimaru's side as they walked back to their room. "We haven't come up with a name for the baby, yet."

Orochimaru looked down at her, still walking.

"It's going to be a girl, right?" he asked.

Sakura nodded.

"Alright then...Amaya...Kazuko..." Orochimaru listed.

"Hmm, Michi...Sayuri...Yuriko-"

"They're all flowers and beauty," Orochimaru muttered.

Sakura huffed.

"What's wrong with beauty?"

"Nothing. How about Kimi?" Orochimaru suggested.

Sakura looked up at him strangely once she figured out the meaning.

"One who is without an equal?"

Orochimaru laughed softly.

"She's got us for parents. You _know_ she's going to be incredibly powerful."

"Mitsu, then?"

Orochimaru made a small noise and nodded.

"Powerful beauty. I like it."

"Mitsu it is," Sakura nodded.

Orochimaru led Sakura up the winding stairs and into their bedroom, making sure to close the door behind him. Sakura heard the click of the lock a smirked, formulating a plan to have a little extra fun before they went to sleep. She put on her best pouty face and spun her body around to face Orochimaru. However, she only had enough time to open her mouth before it was covered by his, their tongues clashing together.

'Apparently he had his eyes set on the same thing,' she thought, startled.

She immediately began to kiss back, sliding her fingers through his hair. She felt one of his hands trailing down her side, shivers running down her spine. He stopped at her hip before pushing her flush against him. Her body was still warm from the training exercise she went through and so she eagerly soaked up Orochimaru's cooler body temperature. He slowly began to step forward, edging Sakura towards the bed.

She gasped into his mouth when her legs hit the side of the bed. He slowed their kiss down considerably, confusing Sakura. His hands tilted her upper body back to reveal the front of her stomach. His fingertips skimmed along the band of the shorts before slipping beneath her shirt. His hands moved carefully over her skin, not quite removing her clothes as his hands seemed to take in that specific section of her body as if feeling it for the first time.

Once again, Sakura felt confused but all thoughts were pushed away when his hand closed around her breast, small shocks of pleasure spreading down her tightening stomach. His other hand pushed the shirt up as he broke the kiss, yanking the top off of her and dropping it at his side. His lips pressed gentle kisses against her jaw and down her neck, heading for that sensitive spot below her ear. His tongue darted out to flick her earlobe before laving the spot beneath her ear.

She squirmed and shifted her head to expose more of her neck to Orochimaru, moaning softly as his fingers flexed around her breast. She arched her back into his hand, hoping to get another shock of pleasure to crawl down her spine. She was still so confused and it was blatant she was thinking. Her responses were off and Orochimaru withdrew his tongue, earning a sound of protest a few seconds after.

"What did I tell you the first time this happened?" he muttered against her skin.

"Let my body do what comes naturally," she responded mechanically.

He nuzzled her neck with his nose.

"Correct, so stop thinking."

His lips closed around the skin, sucking gently. She gasped, eyes falling shut.

"I-It's kind of hard when y-you've been acting so strangel-ly," she explained.

"It's stress, Blossom, so stop worrying," he ordered. "Just feel the difference. I promise you you'll like it."

She found herself kneeling on the bed next to Orochimaru as he pulled his own shirt off. Sakura leaned forward to kiss him again though he continuously forced her to make it slow and somewhat sweet as he worked on removing her shorts and underwear, placing them on the other side of the bed. He fumbled slightly with his own pants before repeating the process until the two of them were completely naked on the bed.

She felt him shift into a different position, though still sitting, before she felt his hands on her hips, lifting her and spreading her legs out on either side of him. She felt the tip of his dick push into her core, easing her down on him. She relished in the feel of his length stretching her to fit, filling her up inch by slow inch. She shuddered and moaned low in ecstasy as her weight settled down on him, forcing him to press on the spot inside of her that always left her panting and begging for more.

She rocked her hips gently and felt the rush flame from her groin and shoot up her spine. He was deeper in her than ever before and she couldn't complain when he lifted her slowly before once again easing her back down, pushing against that same spot. Her breathing did get faster but she wondered why he was going so _slow!_ It was annoying and her mind immediately began to analyze possible reasons why although she shouldn't have been thinking.

Eventually her mind narrowed down to the point that he didn't care about reaching a climax or hearing her beg him to keep going, to never stop. She realized the whole point of _this_ time was to be as close as possible to her. He just wanted to be with her and show her the only thing that changed was the meaning behind the sex. Sakura smiled once she understood and leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder as her arms wound around his neck.

This time, she felt the most pleasure she'd ever felt before but she couldn't force her body to make any noise louder than a soft moan. Her fingers stroked Orochimaru's back, his shoulders, his neck, any patch of skin she could get her hands on. She paid a lot of attention to his new arms, rubbing his flexing muscles as he lifted her. Each new stroke brought both of them closer and closer to their peaks but Sakura didn't struggle to reach it. She didn't want to.

His lips touched her skin gently, refusing to use his teeth, rather, replacing them with his tongue. Her nails occasionally dug into his skin as he brushed a spot she'd never felt before. She could feel the pleasure feather across her skin. The flames licked up her still trembling body, swirling around her sensitive chest, delving deep within her. It was so incredibly intense yet impossibly gentle and tame.

She didn't know how much time passed. She only knew that she wasn't going to last much longer. Orochimaru noticed as well.

"You're close?" though it was said more like a statement.

Sakura nodded, expecting one of his hands to venture to the small nub between her legs, but no such thing happened. He continued lifting her and pushing her down at the same slow pace he'd set from the beginning. She didn't know what to say, nothing came to mind. When she finally came, she found she couldn't scream like she usually did regardless of the fact that the pleasure was twice as powerful as all the other times. She could only weakly say his name before her entire body collapsed completely.

She felt him stiffen slightly before relaxing, signifying his release. She felt herself being held and laid down. Soft blankets covered her naked body as Orochimaru remained inside of her, holding her tightly to him. The last thing she remembered before sleep took over was lips pressing against her forehead.

* * *

"**Orochimaru! Orochimaru wake up!**"

Orochimaru's eyes opened, looking down at the still sleeping woman in his arms.

"What is it?" he answered, voice expressing the need for a good reason to have been woken up.

"Konoha nin have been spotted five miles away!" Kabuto shouted through the door.

Orochimaru's blood froze, eyes unable to narrow in hatred or widen in surprise. He glanced down at Sakura once again and knew he needed to get her away in a hurry. He didn't want her to see up close what would happen. He wanted her safe and away from the pain he knew this battle would cause her.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the main entrance. Gather the others," he ordered.

He heard Kabuto's footsteps rush down the stairs and he sighed heavily. Releasing Sakura from his grip he smiled softly at her mumbled words of protest at losing the warmth she so desperately wanted to cling to. He stroked her hair, knowing that this was going to be one of his last tender moments with Sakura for a long time. He changed his mind before he decided to try something right at that moment and began to shake her awake.

"Sakura, come on, it's time to wake up."

Sakura's nose twitched but her eyes opened slowly, staring at him. She yawned widely before scratching her cheek. He pulled on his pants and shirt.

"What's with the wake up call?" she asked, yawning again.

"Konoha shinobi will be arriving within fifteen minutes. Hurry up and get dressed, then meet me at the main entrance."

Sakura had no time to react or start questioning him for he had already disappeared into thin air. She was left blinking and dazed before his words forced her mind to signal movement from her. She quickly slid her naked body from the sheets and sprinted into the bathroom, digging through the closet of clothes for something to wear. Her eyes settled on black shinobi sandals, a pair of light purple shorts that came to mid-thigh, and a black version of her old red genin dress, only the circles were beige instead of white.

She dressed hurriedly before snatching her kunai pouch and attaching it around her thigh. Running her fingers through her hair, she dashed out of the bathroom and out of Orochimaru's room, heading through the halls for the main entrance. Upon arriving there, she noticed only Orochimaru waiting for her. She had expected at least Kabuto to make an appearance, that is, unless, Orochimaru was planning on handing her back to Konoha.

She could sense he was nervous and it scared her. She wasn't going to deny the fact that seeing such a powerful man with such an arrogant attitude being nervous made _her_ incredibly nervous and afraid. She took one glance out of the entrance and up at the sky. Sitting in a circle around the bright sun was the last thing she wanted to see.

A beautiful glittering rainbow.

She shrank back into the safety of the building but Orochimaru wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. She realized that there were bandages covering his arms. Sakura was shocked when she understood his plans without saying a word. He would fool them all into thinking he was still unable to perform any jutsu and them _whoosh_ he'd jutsu their asses to death.

"Let's go greet them," he said softly.

Looking into his golden eyes, he could see that they were dull, not their usual burning color. She nodded hesitantly and his arm slid down from her shoulders to rest on her lower back. The sunlight was a bit of a shock for Sakura and she realized just how long it had been since she had last been outside during the daytime. It was bright enough to force her to squint. Looking around, she noted the change of seasons had begun for the grass that had been under her feet at her first arrival had already died, leaving broken, dried, and cracked dirt.

Up ahead in a medium sized clearing surrounded by more large trees stood a lot of people. She could see the backs of Kabuto and Sasuke, though the only thing that proved the others were on her side were the purple ties around their waists. Beyond them she could make out the stern face of Tsunade and she felt her heart clench. Kakashi, impassive as usual stood on her left, a twitching Anko on her right.

The fishnet-clad woman lifted a hand up suddenly to her neck, a pained expression crossing her face. She looked up and made eye contact with Orochimaru who sent her his famous smirk. She glared at him in response before turning to say something to Tsunade.

Sakura noted the other ninja there and realized that not only was Naruto not there, but no one else from the Rookie Nine showed up either. Tenten, Neji, and Lee weren't there. She counted a few shinobi she'd seen but never talked to. She spotted Genma and Asuma among the others but what struck her as the oddest part of all was the fact that Tsunade had called in Jiraiya. The "ero-sannin" was standing between Tsunade and Kakashi. She knew they would try to negotiate but she never thought she bring _another_ of the remaining sannin in. Did she consider Sakura to have the same power? Was she actually thinking about fighting Sakura herself or having Jiraiya do it for her?

All in all, each side didn't have all that many people fighting. Although she knew well enough not to judge by the quantity when it was the quality that mattered. Each person picked on Tsunade's side was reputed to be strong and capable of inflicting mass amounts of damage. She also knew Orochimaru wouldn't waste any time picking people who were weak to associate himself with. Although she continued to tell herself Orochimaru's side would win, she had her doubts. She silently cursed the rainbow in the sky, seemingly innocent but to those who knew better a beacon of bad luck and misfortune.

All of the shinobi serving Orochimaru would fight their hardest in order to please him and show their dedication to him, but everyone serving Tsunade would fight to bring back a lost and valued member of their Konoha family. Sakura felt herself moving slower than Orochimaru as her thoughts attacked her brain. His hand squeezed her side gently which brought her back to reality, but she couldn't help but feel the pain inside that dealt with the compilation of every fear she'd ever had. She didn't want to be there at that moment.

She was smart enough to know Orochimaru didn't want her to fight because of the baby but she knew he was going to allow her to anyway. The fact that she was going to have to watch and participate in the hurting of the people she once knew made the ache inside of her grow. However, she _loved_ Orochimaru, something no one from Konoha seemed to understand. Although she wasn't buddy-buddy with any of the other shinobi serving Orochimaru, they were civil and sometimes in talkative moods. Apart from Sasuke, she could easily make it a point to befriend Tayuya or Kimimaro.

The pair walked forward and his single line of fighters parted in the middle and allowed them passage. Orochimaru's arm slid off of Sakura and fell to his side. Sasuke walked up from the line with Kabuto, taking his place at Orochimaru's right side while Kabuto positioned himself between the two. Kimimaro walked up and stood beside Sakura on her left. There was about forty feet of space between the two groups as Shizune stood next to Kakashi.

The front row of each side stood lined up with someone to fight. Anko was to fight Kimimaro; Kakashi was paired with Kabuto, Shizune versus Sasuke, and finally, Tsunade and Jiraiya against Sakura and Orochimaru.

Tsunade was eyeing Orochimaru's arms warily, noting how the bandages were the same from the last time they saw each other, back when _she_ was the one being asked to heal him. He didn't seem like a threat and even with Jiraiya, Shizune, and Naruto the last time they barely managed to beat them, and even then they only got them to retreat. Kabuto was faithfully by Orochimaru's side, ready for battle.

Sakura could feel the eyes of each person roaming over her changed figure. She took another look at the five figures in front of her and her eyes caught on Kakashi's black one. She closed her eyes, shaking her head to rid herself of the memories. She inhaled deeply and her head shot up when she felt a hand rest on her left shoulder. She looked over to see Kimimaro raise a brow in concern. She smiled and shook her head.

"I'm fine," she whispered.

He nodded and removed his hand from her.

"This is your last chance, Sakura. Return to Konoha with us and you'll receive a lesser punishment," Tsunade called out.

Sakura took one last look at Tsunade before surprising everyone. She began to move forward. However, she only stepped about three feet closer before stopping.

"This," Sakura gestured to everyone behind her, "is my family, Tsunade." She turned her body sideways before pointing at Orochimaru. "This is the man I love. My home is in Sound with Orochimaru. Unless you plan on allowing all of us to live legally and freely in Konoha, I'm staying right here."

Tsunade grit her teeth, clenching her fists.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Sakura shrugged and retreated to her original spot by Orochimaru.

"Then I'm afraid I'll be staying with Chi-kun."

Sakura heard Orochimaru swear softly under his breath as Tsunade raised an eyebrow. She looked at Orochimaru who merely glared back at her, silencing any questioning she may have done.

"You know what happens now."

Orochimaru smirked, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Of course."

Before Tsunade could command anyone to do anything, Sakura found her ninja instincts kicking in. She ducked down, narrowly missing a kunai. She reached for the pouch at her thigh, searching for her attacker, only to realize Sasuke was standing nearly fifteen feet in front of her, holding some shuriken between his fingers, ready to throw. Sakura's eyes widened.

"What the hell do you think you're doing you idiot!" she screeched, pulling a shuriken from her pouch and standing up straight.

Sasuke straightened as well.

"I want to fight you before anyone else does," he stated angrily. "You need to be put in your place and I'm the one who's going to do it!"

The shuriken were released from his hands, aimed straight at her. The shuriken in her hand was thrown straight for Sasuke before her fingers performed the hand signs.

(2)"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" she shouted before disappearing in a whirl of cherry blossoms.

Sasuke swore under his breath and Kabuto pressed an arm across Orochimaru's chest, pushing him back.

"Let her fight. If it gets to the point, I'll jump in there and save her," he reassured.

Both sides backed up to give the two more room to fight, both enjoying the fact that their own fight was delayed due to the selfish wishes of Sasuke.

Sasuke was busy attempting to dodge all of the shuriken. His body twisted and spun away from the small weapons but he survived with four cuts along his arms and one on his face. He immediately began to search for Sakura, using his senses to feel around for her chakra. He growled low in his throat, unable to pick up an exact point on her chakra for it suddenly seemed to be all around him.

"Looking for me?" Sakura whispered suddenly in his ear.

Sasuke spun around, fist ready to attack. Sakura's hand shot out to grab his wrist, stopping his attack, and bent her leg, kneeing him hard in the stomach. Sasuke doubled over, coughing, and she bent her free arm, slamming her elbow down, hitting the back of his neck. Twisting around she also twisted the arm she was holding behind his back, shoving his falling body into the hard dusty ground.

She used her body to pin him down, foot pressed against his head. He struggled beneath her before finally flipping over, pushing Sakura onto her back while he laid with his back on top of her. In surprise, her hand released his wrist, allowing him to use both hands. He jumped off of her, aiming a kick at her head. One hand came up to protect herself but the power in his kick sent her skidding across ten feet of dirt. She quickly got to her feet, watching as Sasuke began to form hand signs.

Sakura's heart nearly stopped once she realized what he was trying to do. She had to stop him or at least stall him before he finished the signs. She jumped into the air, adding chakra to her foot, building it up, before executing a spin and falling back down, swinging her leg down into the ground.

(3) "Tsūtenkyaku!" she cried.

The ground rumbled and began to shake, effectively disrupting Sasuke and preventing him from finishing the seal. The ground began to crack from where Sakura's foot landed and the pink haired kunoichi did a few back-flips away from the impact point. The crack headed straight for Sasuke who jumped to the side. The moment his feet touched what he considered to be a safe spot, the ground shattered beneath his feet, quickly falling into pieces and rocky dust. He fell about a foot before pulling on a rock still connected to the ground and pulling himself up.

Using his speed he raced across the falling bits of ground and onto steady ground where Sakura was. He drew his fist back, ready to hit her again, and caught her just before she dodged. His fist buried into her cheek, sending her body in the direction of the destruction. She crashed hard onto her back as a dozen kunai hurtled towards her. She moved enough to begin to crawl away when three of the weapons pierced her back, two in her left calf, and a few more in her legs.

She let out a strangled cry of pain before she turned to smoke.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Again!" he hissed, looking around him furiously for a flash of pink hair.

He heard Sakura's laughter come from behind him and spun to face her. She wasn't there. Her laughter was, but she wasn't, and then suddenly her laughter was all around him. He looked around frantically, trying to see her, but only found the space around him empty apart from the two groups of shinobi. He grit his teeth, walking in place.

"Stop being a coward! Show yourself!" he yelled, frustrated.

He was caught in a genjutsu that Sakura created. She was slightly offended he hadn't activated his Sharingan when he first started fighting but now she was thankful for it. If the earlier hand signs were any indication, his intent was to kill her using the Chidori. Now that she knew he planned to use it on her, she had come up with a plan to use it against him. In reality, she was standing a few feet away from him, arms crossed over her chest.

This was her favorite type of genjutsu. The victim of the attack only moved around in his or her head, not realizing they can't move their body. Their body was actually frozen in place until the genjutsu was lifted, leaving them susceptible to fatal attacks. Sakura wanted to toy with him, and so she would.

"You know, Sasuke, I didn't realize you kept your hair the same length as when you left," she said, running her fingers through his hair before yanking his head back harshly, the strands twisted around her fingers.

Sasuke grunted in pain, trying to reach behind him and pull her hand from his hand or attack her. She released his hair when he got too close in his mind. Sasuke spun around only to meet air.

"Stop toying with me!"

He heard Sakura's laughter all around him again.

"Oh, but Sasuke!" she whined in his ear. "You're such a fun plaything."

She heard him swear before she sighed.

"Fine, fine, why don't we make a repeat of yesterday afternoon, hm?" she suggested, making sure to take ten steps back from him.

Sasuke understood and activated his Sharingan, breaking the genjutsu immediately. He looked around and spotted Sakura about six feet away from. She smiled knowingly at him.

"So very sad," she said. "It took you that long to figure out you were under a genjutsu."

She rolled her eyes, knowing she was pushing her chances more than she would show, and brought her hands out in front of her. Slowly, each sign taking two to three seconds to complete, she wanted to give him a head start on believing he could copy a new jutsu. He eyed her hands hungrily and only when she reached the middle seal did he realize what she was doing, as did Kakashi.

"How would you know how to-"

Sasuke stopped himself, refusing to let her finish before he did. His fingers formed the hand signs much faster than Sakura ever could on her first try and he finished before she reached the end. However, she added the last hand sign to her memory before pulling her hands apart, standing with her body straight, facing Sasuke. She spread her fingers apart before touching the tips together in front of her face, letting her eyelids slide shut.

(4) "Chidori!" Sasuke cried, sprinting at her.

Sakura focused her chakra throughout her limbs, building it up and cramming most of it into the tips of her fingers and hands. In order for this to work she would need to be perfectly precise in her actions. Even a fraction of a second delayed and she would find herself burned and shredded with hardly any chance of survival. She concentrated, ignoring the cries of her name coming from various people, the loudest being Orochimaru.

Sasuke drew nearer to her, closing in, and the chakra Sakura had pumping began to push out from her body, layering her skin. Her fingertips glowed first, left glowing green, right glowing blue. The colors spread down her arms, lighting them up. Once the chakra hit her shoulders, it spread like fire down the rest of her body, coating it in a writhing mass of blue and green. Her lips moved, forming words that were inaudible as Sasuke finally got close enough.

Sasuke's arm drawn back, Sakura heard her name shouted louder than before and her eyes snapped open to make contact with the crimson Sharingan. Sasuke's chirping arm blasted forward for her chest. Sakura's face remained calm and in the blink of an eye her hand shot down just as the blinding light of the Chidori erupted from between herself and Sasuke, the indication it had met its target.

There was complete silence after that moment as the chirping faded, waiting for the light to as well so the damage could be seen. Orochimaru was partially slumped against Kabuto, fear written clearly across his face. Kakashi turned to Tsunade who looked like she'd seen a ghost and nodded slowly. The light began to face and Kakashi cautiously made his way over to the pair, reaching fifteen feet from them when he could clearly see the turn-out.

Sakura was pitched forward, front pressed close to Sasuke's. Her face was buried beneath a mass of pink and black hair, resting on Sasuke's shoulder, face tilting down. Her eyes were closed from what he could see. One of her hands reached down where one of Sasuke's was. Her other hand was pressed to his chest. Sasuke's head was leaning against hers, a pained expression on his face, eyebrow twitching and teeth grit as he hid the pain. His other hand was splayed over her upper back, nails digging into her skin.

Blood dripped from between them onto the ground.

Kakashi swore and walked a little closer before stopping once again. Sasuke was sliding down Sakura who was still upright, though bent forward. Kakashi could see the grin grow on her face as her arms slid to her sides. Sasuke slumped down to his knees, face pressed against Sakura's abdomen. The girl's chest was heaving as she slowly straightened her body, revealing her smiling face to her surrounding people.

"You see, Sasuke," she said smugly, "I don't need the cursed seal to overpower you. I don't need the Sharingan to see right through you. I only need to be myself, to stop wishing I was like everyone else, because being like everyone else means being weak," she kicked him off of her, sending his body skidding along the dirt. "By acting as an individual, I become stronger. By having people who believe in me and don't pity me only increases my power." She began to walk towards him, blood dripping from her fingers. "You see, people can give you power, but the power you want you'll never get because you shove people aside. You weren't the one who gave me this strength. You merely took it all away."

With those words she bent down, wrapped her fingers around his neck and lifted him into the air. She straightened herself, ignoring the rasps from his mouth and threw him towards Kakashi. His body landed harshly on the ground, his blood splattering around him as he rolled and halted to Kakashi's feet. She heard Orochimaru call her name for the third time and turned her head to look at him.

"Apparently, this makes me one of you," she called to him.

Her left hand reached up to fix her hair, shaking slightly. Sakura's right arm had blood on it but the only mark left on her from his Chidori was the burn on the side of her dress, the revealed skin blistered. Pressing her clean hand to her side she quickly healed the rest of the skin.

Pulling out a kunai from her thigh, she eyed Sasuke as she cut off a straight horizontal line in the fabric of her dress. Fingers grasped the black material before ripping the cut length off in one tug. She found it much easier to move in the shorts and now shirt despite the skin showing but easily tied the fabric around the exposed skin, fixing the problem. She exhaled shakily as Sasuke groaned.

She bit her lip, nibbling on it, contemplating, before she turned away from Sasuke and back towards Orochimaru. She heard Kakashi move forward to take a better look at Sasuke. Sakura stood in front of Orochimaru, Kabuto having let go of him. He immediately pulled her against him, holding her tightly.

"Don't you **_ever_** do that **_again_**!" he nearly shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her away from him.

Sakura nodded, watching the fear in his eyes and feeling horrible for having made him believe she was going to die. Hell, even _she_ thought she was going to mess up. She opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance to before she heard kunai clash beside her. Whipping her head in the direction of the noise, Anko and Kimimaro were holding each other off. So it began.

Kabuto disappeared to find Kakashi and Sakura spun to see Kabuto holding one of his special kunai and swiping it at Kakashi. The ex-sensei dodged it easily, jumping back and settling with a few hand seals. Sasuke was suddenly nowhere to be found but a quick search for Shizune brought her to the green glow of chakra as she healed Sasuke. Sakura's brows furrowed. Shizune wouldn't be able to fight if she healed him correctly. She'd be dangerously low on chakra.

Orochimaru pulled her off to the side by the tree she had fought Sasuke near. Kidomaru was battling with Asuma while Genma handled Tayuya. Two of the Konoha nin she hadn't seen before ganged up on Jirobo while the other two fought Sakon and Ukon. The took care of everyone except for Jiraiya and Tsunade. Each battling group split apart, the Sound shinobi pulling their fight to parts of the forest that suited their skills best. The clearing was left open and the sannin eyed each other. Tsunade looked pained when her gaze passed to Sakura. She looked back at Orochimaru and gave a wry smile at his lack of a certain silver haired medic by his side.

"So you really did get your arms fixed?" she stated more than asked.

"Yesterday, actually," he said pridefully. "Thanks to the best medic in the world." He began to pull the bandages off of his arms.

Sakura felt herself blush but pushed it away. Now was the time to fight, and although she hadn't used all of her chakra up to fight Sasuke, at least half of it was gone. Any medical jutsu she could use would be incredibly helpful. However, all the medical jutsu she knew required high amounts of chakra. That meant that she'd need to wait until they were slowed down and out of a lot of their own chakra, something that would take a while since they were sannin.

"You'll have to fight Sasuke again," Orochimaru stated with evident distaste.

Sakura's brows furrowed.

"What? He's with-"

Sakura stopped, seeing the Uchiha pushing a teetering Shizune aside. The woman couldn't move and Sakura mentally cursed the woman for being such a good medic. Orochimaru placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I've got all of my techniques back thanks to you. I'll be fine," he reassured her, noting her anger towards Sasuke.

She nodded and turned to go fight Sasuke when she was abruptly spun back to face Orochimaru. His lips were on hers before she could make a sound, one of his hands fisting her hair, the other cradling the back of her head. Her hands pulled the cloth of his shirt as she eagerly kissed back. She could feel the raw emotion poured into this kiss and for some reason she knew that this felt desperate, a last attempt. While it contained all the passion she could ever want it held the promise of a dark ending, something she didn't understand but knew she most definitely didn't like. Call it women's intuition.

She felt slightly dizzy when he finally pulled away. She was panting and she looked into his eyes, begging for some sort of an explanation for his actions when she saw it. It was the look she knew all too well. The look she received from some of her patients, the slim few that slipped through her grasp and into the hands of death. It was the look of understanding, the one that you had when you knew you were going to die. Her gaze hardened and she sent him a glare.

"Don't you _dare_ think you're going to die!" she hissed at him. "I didn't stay awake for over a day and blow all of my chakra into healing your arms to watch you think you're going to die!"

Orochimaru looked startled at her accusation and opened his mouth to defend himself before she cut him off.

"Besides, if you _do_ die, I'll resurrect your scaly ass and make sure you die the most painful way possible," she joked, giving him a smile.

He pulled her in for one final kiss and then planted one on her forehead.

"Good luck," they said simultaneously.

Sakura ran off to give Sasuke hell and Orochimaru returned to Tsunade and Jiraiya.

'What you don't seem to realize is that I'll already have died the most painful way possible,' he thought, starting the formation of a techinique.

* * *

Kabuto finished the seal and his hands erupted in a blue glow. He pushed his body forward, sporting a nasty slice in his upper left arm. Kabuto shot his hand out, aiming to catch one of Kakashi's arms. His speed was incredible, matched evenly with Kakashi's. The older nin ducked down, sticking his leg out and spinning it around. Kabuto jumped, missing it, and flipped over Kakashi, landing behind him.

Kakashi made to move away from the medic but Kabuto's fingers brushed across his right arm, successfully stopping it from performing any future movement.

* * *

Anko ducked, narrowly missing another bone spike aimed for her chest. She panted, jumping onto a branch to dodge another piece of bone weaponry. She pulled a handful of shuriken and kunai from the puch at her hip. With a dive into the air she shot each of her weapons below at different angles, positive she'd at least make a scratch. Bones suddenly protruded from Kimimaro's skin as he effortlessly blocked the attack.

* * *

The blade sliced across each of the arms on Kidomaru's left side, blood instantly gushing from the wounds. He grit his teeth, raising his other hands to hold his injuries while Asuma bent his arm at the elbow and aimed a hit for Kidomaru's face, painfully hitting him in the face. Kidomaru cried out as he felt his nose break upon impact, blood dripping down his face.

* * *

Genma let another wave of senbon fly from his fingers towards the girl in front of him. Tayuya easily dodged them all and brought her flute to her mouth, preparing to summon her three demons.

* * *

The first of the two Konoha shinobi was sent flying backwards and through a tree. There was a sickening crack as the tree snapped in two and the nin fell, crumpling with his body at an odd angle. His spine snapped upon impact. The second nin dove to the ground as Jirobo's fist aimed for him, punching the tree instead. Said tree was broken, giving the shinobi just enough time to perform the signs for a jutsu.

* * *

Ukon shifted on Sakon before disappearing suddenly when one of the Konoha ninja punched Sakon in the shoulder. Moments later, the brother's head slid up from the shoulder of the nin who attacked Sakon. Too busy with his reaction to finding the head of his enemy attached to his body, Sakon took the liberty of fighting the nin's partner. He jumped to the side, avoiding multiple punches and kicks from his new toy.

* * *

Jiraiya pushed Tsunade down as Orochimaru's summoned snake sprang out to try and eat the sannin. Quickly the two performed the seals and two cries of (5)"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" were heards. Two enormous clouds of smoke appeared before clearing to reveal Tsunade on top of an incredibly large white slug. Jiriaya was on an equally, if not bigger, orange toad smoking a pipe next to her. 

Orochimaru made some seals with his hands while Tsunade gave a command to her slug. The creature inhaled deeply before spewing a waves of acid at the pale sannin. While the snake he was on made a move to the side, a familiar jutsu was called out before the snake became stuck in swamp-like ground. Orochimaru cursed under his breath. Quickly commanding the snake to lower him to the ground, it did so, and he jumped off before any acid touched him.

The snake only withstood so much of the sizzling substance before it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Orochimaru was quick to summon Manda, ready to really start fighting.

"This time the frog gets fried," Manda hissed hatefully, skipping his usual demands of Orochimaru.

Gamabunta chuckled with glee, readying his webbed hand over his knife.

"Maybe you'd be better off as a jacket," he commented.

* * *

Sakura formed a handful of clones and sent them to encircle Sasuke. She knew with Sasuke's speed he could easily beat all of the clones but she wanted to wait it out. One of her clones moved forward, attempting to hit Sasuke. Immediately the Uchiha grabbed her fist and twisted it around her head, pulling a kunai out and stabbing the clone in the back. Her other clones began to attack him as well while the real Sakura stood away, watching with a predatory gleam in her eye. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, amused, "Sasuke, don't tell me you're holding back? I thought you _wanted_ to hurt me?" She raised a brow and more clones appeared just as Sasuke finished defeating the others. "Or were you only trying to rape me because you knew I would never leave Orochimaru?"

His fist blew through two clones and yet more appeared to take the place of the previous one that was destroyed. Sakura laughed in complete enjoyment and threw her arms out, walking a few steps to the right before returning to the left, twirling around. She repeated the steps over, minus the twirling, and spoke to him in a somewhat mocking tone.

"Come _on_ Sasuke!" she cried. "I know you're stronger than this! This is pathetic! Stop underestimating me before I decide to stop playing and kill you!"

She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins now. She knew it was there before, but _now_ she could feel it coursing through her body, lighting her with energy and fueling her, ready to go. All she needed now was for Sasuke to bite, something she knew he'd do.

* * *

Their kunai clanged loudly as Kabuto tried to attack Kakashi. The two pulled apart only to push forward again. Kabuto reached down, hand glowing, and brushed it across Kakashi's thigh. Kakashi hissed as he fell to his knees. Kabuto pulled away from him, a smirk on his face. A kunai suddenly appeared at Kabuto's neck, breaking the skin and drawing a faint line of blood. Kabuto's eyes widened as the Kakashi on his knees burst into water. 

"Gotcha," he growled from behind Kabuto.

* * *

Kimimaro blocked Anko's fist with his lower arm, knocking her leg off course with his. His other hand blasted forward and caught her cheek, sending her sailing backwards into a tree.

* * *

Kidomaru finished activating the second level of his cursed seal. His skin got a few shades darker and his hair become long and white. The Sound hitai-ate slid from his face, revealing a third eye. Asuma grimaced at the hideous display and readied himself for a harsher attack. He already had a kunai wound in his shoulder and a slice in his side.

* * *

Genma crouched low on the branch, back pressed against the trunk. His chest heaved as he desperately tried to take in air before the next attack from one of Tayuya's demon summons. He'd already taken a hit in the chest from the demon carrying the bumpy bat and he knew with each new breath he'd broken at least one of his ribs. He was surprised he hadn't passed out already. 

His senses spiked and he disappeared in a flash, two sharp bone-like points puncturing the branch he was just on. He was trying to move in a circle so he could make it back near Tayuya and attempt another attack. Although he wasn't close enough to attack her then, she was within seeing distance. She'd activated her cursed seal and the jagged black lines covered her face, neck, and hands.

Knowing he couldn't keep this up much longer, he decided a diversion would be smart. Quickly performing the shadow clone technique, he created three more copies of himself and sent them off in three different directions for the demons to follow. He hopped to the next tree, watching carefully. Although her eyes were closed, Genma knew not to underestimate her. A few trees closer and he was within range for an attack.

* * *

Jirobo drained him of his remaining chakra. The nin slumped against the tree before Jirobo tightened his hold around his neck. Pulling him away from the tree he crushed the nin's head against it, effectively killing him.

* * *

Ukon returned to Sakon's body and looked at the two dead ninja from Konoha. With dark smiles of satisfaction the brothers left to find someone else to fight and kill.

* * *

Tsunade's fist rammed into Orochimaru's stomach, causing him to double over. The large busted woman pushed him back up again before thrusting a fist into his cheek, knocking him back in the air a few feet. She kept her pace with his moving body, delivering attacks, most of them making contact with him. His moves weren't fast enough when he had to put up with the anger Tsunade felt. 

Finally, he caught one of her fists and pulled her entire body forward, nearly close enough to be touching. He saw her eyes widen at the intentional closeness before he lifted his knee and charged his foot into her gut, sending her flying back nearly as far as she'd sent him. Tsunade crashed into the dirt, flipping and tumbling until she forced herself to stop. Panting, she got to her feet slowly.

She glared at Orochimaru for what he'd pulled earlier and formed some seals until her hands glowed. Using medical nunjutsu, she was going to win this fight. Jiraiya be damned, _she_ was going to win this fight.

* * *

"Come on, Sasuke!" she called again. "You're supposed be to be strong! This is _weak_! _You_ are _weak_! Are you honestly going to stand there and get your sorry ass pounded by me? It's a bunch of clones! It's a Naruto tactic and you sent him to the hospital in critical condition yet I don't have a single scuff or scratch!" 

She stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips. Sasuke's anger fueled his speed, allowing him to easily destroy the rest of the copies of Sakura. However, his anger clouded his other senses as he stormed at her, hands performing the signs for an attack. A hand burst from the soil, wrapping around his ankle and pulling him down suddenly. He fell flat on his face before he was swiftly submerged in the soil and another clone of Sakura crouched before him.

The clone smirked and stood, walking towards the real Sakura. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood at an angle. Both versions of Sakura reached into their kunai pouches and pulled out a kunai each, taking their stances.

"And apparently, _you_ were the one who didn't pay enough attention to Kakashi-sensei," the clone said joyously.

Sasuke struggled, squirming and thrashing in the hold of the ground, an identical picture of when he was a genin trying to capture the bell from Kakashi. Within seconds he finally loosened the ground enough to free his arms before crawling out. He glared at her, seething with anger, and dusted himself off with harsh strokes. By now he was on the verge of swearing at her.

* * *

Kakashi held Kabuto pinned to a tree, two kunai in his left thigh and one in his shoulder. Kabuto had already made Kakashi's left arm go numb due to an accidentally misformed medical technique, thanks to Kakashi. He was losing more chakra than he needed because of the Sharingan. Kabuto struggled against him despite his obvious disadvantage. Kakashi's hold remained dominate and reinforced. 

It was then when a loud explosion was heard and Kabuto's attention shifted to Kakashi's right. Although his struggles continued, they eventually lessened and became slower. Kakashi was tempted to look but knew the consequences if he didn't focus on the medic. However, it was the wide eyes that prompted him to look. Turning his head over his shoulder, beneath the clearing smoke lay a body on the ground. Long black hair lay fanned around the upper body.

Kakashi's eyes widened as well once he saw a panting Tsunade standing above the body, the glow on her hands diminishing.

There was blood.

Lots and lots of blood.

On her.

On the ground.

But mostly on _him_.

Kakashi's grip loosened before his hands fell completely off of Kabuto.

"Tsunade...killed him?" Kakashi asked, more himself than Kabuto. "She did it that fast?"

Kakashi's respect for the woman often portrayed as the main heroine in Jiraiya's dirty novels had raised about ten notches. He felt Kabuto slide out from behind him but knew there was nothing he would actually do now that he could clearly see his master dead on the forest floor. However, it was the words that came from Kabuto's mouth next that shocked him.

"Everybody fall back!" he screamed, voice echoing throughout the various battle areas.

Kabuto didn't spare Kakashi a glance as he ran away so fast her became a blur. Kakashi was stuck between thinking and chasing after him. What he wanted to know was why Kabuto would call for a retreat rather than go and take Orochimaru's body or bother to check and see if there was some life left in him. He shrugged it off remembering that Kabuto was a spy and was used to betraying people. He had always thought it would happen eventually. He just never figured he'd be there to see it. Clearing his thoughts, he set out to find the other shinobi he arrived with, pulling his hitai-ate down to cover his Sharingan.

* * *

Kimimaro launched a final round of finger bone bullets at Anko before giving a slight bow and rushing off to meet up with Kabuto. Two of them pierced her arm and she slid down the tree trunk she was shoved against. She hissed in pain, clutching her bleeding arm as she tried to regain her position. She caught a glimpse of silver in the air before Kakashi appeared in front of her, crouching down in front of her. 

He analyzed her injuries quickly before helping her to her feet.

"What's going on?" she asked, confused and in pain.

"Simply putting it, Orochimaru's dead, now come on, we need to find everyone else," Kakashi explained hurriedly, steadying Anko.

She looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. He shook his head and sped off, leaving Anko to fumble behind him.

"We'll meet back at the clearing!"

Anko nodded, knowing he wouldn't be able to see it, and took a left while he continued straight.

* * *

Kidomaru ducked the blade aimed at him and commanded the remaining spiders to attack Asuma while he ran to catch up with Kabuto. The large man sliced each of the baby spiders, finding some difficulty until a handful of shuriken whizzed past his head and took care of the critters he couldn't get. Turning to see who had helped him, his eyes landed on the masked form of Kakashi. 

"No time to explain, just head back to the clearing. It's over."

"Wait, Kakashi, what happened?" Asuma asked, startled at his friend's behavior.

"Orochimaru is dead."

Kakashi disappeared once again and Asuma's eyes widened.

* * *

Tayuya used as much of her strength as she could to push Genma off of her. She looked worried and glanced at the elite jonin. She quickly played a short tune on her flute and three loud 'poofs' were heard. 

"Shit," she cured under her breath, looking towards the direction of the announcement. "You're _so_ lucky. I would've totally had your ass," she hissed and then rushed off.

Genma made a move to follow her but his name being called turned him around.

"Genma!"

Kakashi jumped through the trees, getting closer to Genma who looked confused.

"Hatake? What's going on?" he questioned, concerned for his friend's tone of voice.

"Get back to the clearing. We won-don't ask any questions, just go."

Genma nodded and took off in the direction of the clearing while Kakashi headed for the next pair.

* * *

Jirobo followed the sound of Kabuto's voice and left the two dead nin where he was. Kakashi arrived moments later and took in the destruction and the two bodies. He muttered a quick prayer before moving to his next destination.

* * *

Sakon hurried to meet up with Kabuto, leaving a similar though more gruesome scene than Jirobo's for Kakashi to lay eye on. He repeated the same process with the prayers before going over the list of people from Konoha. He had already taken care of Anko, Asuma, Genma, telling them to go back to the clearing. The four other nin were all dead and Tsunade was with Jiraiya having just finished killing Orochimaru. He was finished with collecting everyone. Now all he had to do was get back to find Sakura, something that wouldn't be too hard if he followed the chirping and flying rocks.

* * *

Sasuke was readying the Chidori to attack her when the explosion sounded. The ground shook violently but as Sakura spun around, she couldn't see anything but lots and lots of dust and smoke. She knew Sasuke's attention was hooked as well since he could've finished Chidori twice by now. 

"What's going on?" she asked.

She didn't receive a response at first, the smoke still needing to clear. However, once the smoke cleared a little she heard Sasuke laughing darkly. Her brows furrowed, unable to understand why he would be so happy with an explosion. The dust continued to settle and it was then when she heard Kabuto's voice call out.

"Everybody fall back!"

"Why would we-"

Sakura felt her body freeze in place. The dust was nearly gone now. She saw the outline.

**Take it all in.**

_And you laugh at this?_

His blood was everywhere. It seeped into the dry earth, seemingly taking it in as its own life source. It stained Tsunade's pale skin and shirt in splotches. It stood out a deep dark shade of red against the pale beige of the forest floor.

**Don't try to breathe.**

_And you enjoy this?_

She felt her heart beat faster, faster, faster, her throat felt like it was closing. Her chest tightened. Someone was sitting on her. That's what it felt like. Someone who weighed much more than she did was crushing her chest, stealing all of her oxygen away. With each new attempt to get air, the naturally easy process of breathing steadily became more and more difficult. Her arms started to shake. The action seemed contagious, addictive to the rest of her body as the rest of her began to follow suit. Her fingers loosened around the kunai. The dust cleared completely.

**You've felt this before.**

_And you feel this?_

That feeling. It was the type of feeling that manifests in ones mind, a ghost of a presence that remains unseen and mostly figureless. It develops into a semi-solid growth that weighs heavily down on one's shoulders, much heavier than it should be for something its size. The weight passes through one's chest, pangs of smaller yet equally as solid feelings begin to form until they are dragged along, spreading out across the area around the heart. You finally feel it stirring in the absolute pit of your stomach, the shameful dread that begins to claw at you from the inside. That feeling of complete and utter terror that makes no sense as to why it appeared, simply because it's there to join in with the other emotions that get a kick from drowning you in torment and misery.

**You have no strength.**

_And you want this?_

Sakura's fingers twitched as her eyes widened slowly with understanding. She felt the kunai slide from her hand and hit the ground with a thunk. All the joy in her stomach fluttered away, chased into hiding by the sudden overwhelming pressure of uneasiness in her stomach. Her stomach was twisting violently into nearly painful knots of nausea.

**You know what this means.**

_And you knew this?_

She saw her vision getting hazy and blurry. Her head felt surprisingly light compared to the incredible heaviness the rest of her body was experiencing. Her mouth dropped open, finding the need for air even greater. Her breathing turned to soft gasps as the thundering ache in her chest intensified along with the shaking of her body. Her eyes began to sting with unshed tears.

**Denial.**

_And you love this?_

She refused to let the tears fall. She refused to believe he was dead. No, she wouldn't believe it until she saw it, and he could simply be on his back, passed out. He's too strong to die. He had too much to live for to die! Didn't she count! Didn't the baby mean anything to him! Was she such a burden he would let himself get killed! Did he honestly get her to heal him, perform the greatest medical procedure in history only to have it waste away because he wanted to die to get rid of his mistake! Was _she_ his mistake!

**Don't lie.**

_And you chose this?_

She...she was his _mistake_. She felt her throat close up as the ache in her chest suddenly died down. It was gone completely. But then she felt a wave of nothing. She felt empty. She felt like an object with no weight, simply an illusion that doesn't count. She couldn't feel anything, just the pangs of substanceless existence.

**Not dead yet.**

_And you thought this?_

Was she alive just now? None of this felt real. It was all an elaborate dream, an incredibly effective and brilliantly developed genjutsu. But the pain was real. It was all too real to be real, but it _was_. She was in a living nightmare. The man she devoted herself to more wholy than Sasuke lay dead -_dying_- in the clearing ahead of her.

**See it again.**

_And you need this?_

Blood. So much _blood_. No one can survive that much of a loss. There was so much blood...so much...everywhere...

**Weak.**

_And you say this?_

Her legs fell from beneath her before she could force herself to stand any longer. A loud, whimper-like scream pushed through her tight throat and past her lips. Arms wrapped around her before she hit the ground, arms she didn't want. Arms that burned her flesh.

Sasuke.

"You've always belonged to me, Sakura," he whispered hatefully in her ear.

She couldn't find the strength to move, to deny it. She was in too much shock.

"Now that he's dead, there's nothing stopping you from being mine."

"Y-Yours..." she whispered.

**Prove it.**

_And you felt this?_

Before she knew it, whatever strength she had left in her body was put into shoving sasuke off of her.

Before she knew it, she was moving the fastest she had ever moved in her life, but in a flash she was kneeling in a slowly expanding puddle of Orochimaru's blood.

Before she knew it, green light filtered through her fingertips and into Orochimaru's still body.

Before she knew it, his entire body was glowing green with her magical chakra.

Before she knew it, she realized he had no heartbeat.

Before she knew it, she _knew_ it.

He was **_dead_**.

**Delusions.**

_And you did this?_

She found herself lifting her hands slowly from his body, looking down at herself. She was covered in Orochimaru's _blood_. The thick sticky liquid slid down her skin, still warm from the fresh spray. It dripped from her fingertips, the heat from the chakra she had just used to murder him with buzzed delightfully. She felt her skin absorbing it, taking it into her own body to survive off of. The coppery scent it gave out wafted through her nostrils and she could practically taste the metal on her tongue.

She killed him.

His blood was on _her_ body.

She murdered the man she loved.

**Let it out.**

_And you expect this?_

Her shaking body grew into severe trembling. Her gasps were cut short and this time she couldn't feel any air going in. She couldn't breathe any longer. It took too much effort to try. But the tears pushed past the sting of her eyes, a pain that was nothing compared to that of her heart. A strangled sob ripped from her throat, finally allowing her to take in the air she desperately needed. The tears streamed down her cheeks and she wailed, falling forward onto Orochimaru.

"**Orochimaru!**" she screamed.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she buried her face in the crook of his neck, weeping uncontrollably. Her tears touched his blood as they were shed from her eyes, giving off the impression that she was crying crimson tears. Her body was wracked with sobs and loud cries and wails. She felt his blood blending into her clothing, matting against her hair, against her skin.

Long black eyelashes were wet as tears dripped from them. Her eyes were shut tightly. Her fingers gripped his shirt, fabric clenched between her quivering hands. Her skin became three shades paler. The pain grew worse with each crystalline tear that fell from her eyes. It grew more and more, ripping her apart and shredding her insides. Muffled words split her heart-wrenching screams and new feelings overcame her.

She felt cold. She felt hollow. She felt numb. She wanted to die.

No one knew she had.

* * *

Tsunade stayed put in her position a few feet away from Sakura. Her eyes were trained on the weeping girl and it took all of her strength and will-power not to reach down there and wrap her arms around Sakura and shed tears with her. Jiraiya made his appearance behind her and was more intune with her emotions than she ever gave him credit for. His hands lifted to rest on her shoulders, squeezing lightly. 

The remaining shinobi had taken care of Shizune but were more shocked to see Sakura's reaction. The way they had been briefed told them that she was being controlled in a sense. Everyone knew she was in love with Sasuke, that she cried nearly non-stop for weeks. But this? _This_? This was so much more than the tears she cried for Sasuke. She made noises they were familiar with when the war was still going on, the type of sounds made when a happy young couple parts with promises of returning alive. The tears that are shed and the style of which that are revealed when comrades knock on your door to announce the death of your husband, your fiance, your boyfriend.

These tears were so much more painful and tortured.

If she didn't even give _half_ of this to Sasuke's departure when she loved him, what were her feelings for Orochimaru to bring about _this_ reaction?

What felt like hours to all of the bystanders was only about forty minutes. Tsunade closed her eyes and walked forward. She stood behind Sakura, giving the girl the chance to get up, yell, fight, do _something_ other than cry all of her body fluids into a corpse, but she didn't make any moves to indicate she knew of Tsunade's presence. The Hokage sighed quietly before reaching down suddenly and prodding a spot on the back of the girl's neck. There was one final whimpering sob heard before Sakura lost consciousness.

Tsunade turned and walked back over to Jiraiya.

"Get her please," she whispered, finding her voice unable to get any louder. "Have Asuma take care of Sasuke and Anko take care of Shizune. Tell them we're going back to Konoha. Mission a success."

Jiraiya nodded and walked forward to retrieve the unconscious but still-crying girl, picking her bloodied form up cautiously, letting his eyes take in her appearance. He looked at Orochimaru the same way, shaking his head slightly.

"I never thought I'd see the day," he mumbled under his breath.

Shifting her to lay in his arms against his chest, he turned to regard the remaining nin.

"Asuma! Take care of Sasuke! Anko! You're with Shizune! The mission was a success. Let's head back to Konoha!" Jiraiya ordered.

The shinobi got to work, Sasuke being too tired and too annoyed to fight much when Asuma came over to him, knocking him out. Anko helped Shizune and the rest of the nin headed after Jiraiya who took off after Tsunade. He continued to look from the girl in his arms to the woman in front of him. He couldn't quite grasp the reason why Orochimaru chose Sakura over Tsunade. It had gotten far past using her for his plans to destroy Konoha.

As an expert when it came to the declarations of the heart, Jiraiya could simply see the truth where the others saw it as a sick fascination with a beautiful, powerful, young woman with an easy to manipulate heart.

Orochimaru truly loved Sakura.

* * *

On the way back to Konoha, Sakura woke up once while they were on the move. She almost instantly was back to crying again and he felt her tears soaking his shirt. He'd had to knock her unconscious again.

When they arrived back in Konoha, Tsunade had already finished healing her own wounds and had called the other medics to take care of the shinobi that made it out of Sound alive. While no one was in critical condition due to wounds, Kakashi, Anko, and Genma needed immediate attention. All in all, everyone was soon healthy and ready for their next assignments. Sakura and Sasuke were placed in holding cells after having their injuries healed.

Sakura had woken up and had performed a repeat of what she'd done with Jiraiya. She cried. She curled her body up into a ball and wallowed in her misery. Her sobs echoed in the dungeon-like halls so it sounded like there were dozens of wailing Sakura's. She was in so much mental pain that her entire body felt completely abused, like she'd just gotten beaten to near death, stripped naked, and tossed on a pile of broken glass with ten pound bags being dropped onto various parts of her body from twenty feet into the air, slowly crushing her body and digging the shards deeper into her body.

Nobody made a sound of protest to her tears. The guards seemingly ignored her and didn't show if they were thankful or not when she cried herself to sleep, only to repeat the process when she woke up again.

* * *

Timeframe: Three Days After Sakura's Capture (One Day After Being Brought Back to Konoha)

* * *

Naruto's pacing was starting to annoy Ino. The long-haired blonde understood his anxiousness but he'd been doing the same thing for nearly two hours while they waited for Tsunade. When news broke out that Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura had been successfully captured and were residing in holding cells in Konoha, the two blondes had rushed to see Tsunade to see if they could talk to Sakura, possibly Sasuke.

However, two long hours had gone by and Tsunade still wasn't done doing whatever it was in her office. It made Ino wonder if she was trying to come up with a really good excuse to prevent them from seeing Sakura. Honestly, Ino didn't want anything to do with Sasuke. If he even _tried_ to say something to her he'd find himself rolling on the floor in agony, hand between his legs in an attempt to stop the pain. She smiled gently at the thought.

"Naruto, would you _please_ stop pacing?" she whined, turning to face him.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Ino," he muttered, pausing to walk towards her.

"I'm worried, too," she said wrapping her arms around his back and pressing her head to his shoulder.

The door to Tsunade's office opened and she walked out, a small stack of papers and folders tucked under her arm. She looked exhausted and moved sluggishly. Upon seeing the sight of the future Hokage and his girlfriend waiting for her she sighed loudly and cut Naruto off before he said anything.

"She's going to be put on trial in two hours," she said, stifling a yawn. "Go find Kakashi and ask him to take you to see her. You've got my permission."

"Wait, what?" Ino cried out in surprise. "Trial? For what?"

Tsunade groaned, rubbing her temple with her hand.

"I can't talk about it now. I'm late for the pre-trial meeting. Ask Kakashi to fill you in."

Naruto blinked and looked down at Ino who looked worried. Tsunade walked past them and down the hall, heading for her meeting. The two blondes took off without another word, looking to find Kakashi. They headed down the stairs and nearly ran into the silver haired man.

"Kakashi!" Naruto said, relieved but hurried.

"Naruto, Ino," he ackowledged, voice lazier and more tired than usual, same to be said about his slouched position.

"Kakashi, Tsunade said to ask you to take us to see Sakura!" Naruto explained.

"She did, did she?" his voice was suddenly harder.

He sighed, single eye closing before he nodded. Turning around, he headed down the stairs and through a door that required his chakra. Naruto and Ino followed silently but nearly went into fits of disgust once they arrived at the hall of holding cells. Each cell was made of thick stone slabs, some with chains dangling from the walls and ceiling, others with built in bonds. Some cells had windows while others had thin sleeping mats. There was hardly any light, only what would come in from the few windows and the occasional bulb lit in the hall. The floors were dirty and stained and the entire area screamed suffering. It didn't even feel like a place you'd hold prisoners. It felt like a place you'd torture them.

As they got further down the seemingly endless hall, the echoing sound of crying met their ears. _Female_ crying. Ino and Naruto looked with wide eyes at each other.

"Is that Sakura?" Naruto asked quickly.

"Yes," was Kakashi's flat answer.

The couple ran around Kakashi, moving forward and searching frantically for the cell that held their pink haired friend. The Anbu guard took one look at the impassive Kakashi and unlocked the cell, pushing the bar door open. Ino was the first to go in and at the sight of Sakura she nearly started crying herself. She fell back into Naruto who looked just as shocked as she did.

Curled into the fetal position on the floor, shaking violently and sobbing uncontrollably, was Sakura. Her pink hair was in tangles, half of it underneath her head, the other half thrown over her shoulder. She was covered in dirt and dried blood, but what came as the biggest shock of all was that there was a _puddle_ under her head. It didn't seem possible to Ino or Naruto that someone could actually cry long enough to produce such a large amount of tears. Something bigger had happened.

Ino rushed to Sakura's side while Naruto stood there, unmoving.

"Sakura? Sakura, answer me," Ino said, placing her hand on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura's eyes twitched at the contact but slowly opened to slits, the tears pouring out just as fast. She opened them a little wider as Ino tilted her head to look at Sakura's face. Naruto couldn't see Sakura's face because Ino's back was in the way but he knew something was wrong when her hand was pulled back from Sakura as if she had been burned. Her back tensed and her body began quivering. Naruto was on an instant alert.

"Ino!"

His response was a cracked voicing of Sakura's name. He ran to her side, making a move to hold her when he froze as well.

"Oh, _God_," he gasped, falling to his knees. "Sakura," he whispered, looking at her eyes.

Her eyes were a pale, pale grey green color. Her skin was white, whiter than Hinata's. But her _eyes_, they looked _dead_. They were hollow, lifeless. They resembled that of a porcelain doll's. Hell, _all_ of Sakura resembled that of a porcelain doll.

Ino started crying next to him and it seemed as though the fact that someone _else_ was suffering eased Sakura's sobs. The tears still came fast as ever but the trembling, the wailing, it stopped, all to be replaced by sniffling and soft almost inaudible whimpers. One of Naruto's hand pulled Ino to him, letting her cry on his shoulder. His other hand rested on Sakura's head, carefully stroking her head.

"So what, Kakashi?" he said sharply. "You gonna tell me what happened or am I going to need to interupt Tsunade's meeting to find out?"

He heard Kakashi sigh and he growled low in his throat, not about to take any bullshit at that moment. His only remaining teammate and closest friend was lying on the floor in front of him, having been traumatized to the point that she couldn't stop crying and that her eyes conveyed the perfectly clear message that she was broken, completely and effectively _broken_.

"We fought with Sound. We won. We brought Sakura and Sasuke back," Kakashi explained, annoyed.

Naruto was about to turn and give Kakashi a piece of his mind when Sakura finally spoke for the first time in three days.

"He's dead," she rasped.

Naruto looked back at her, back at those tormented eyes.

"Who's dead? Sasuke?"

She made a movement with her head that was supposed to substitute for a shake.

"Oro...Orochimaru."

Naruto's eyes widened. Of course he hated the bastard for taking Sasuke away and even more for hurting Sakura and making her confused and despressed, but once he saw that she was happy, his hate transformed into a natural territorial rivalry between people. He wanted Sakura to be taken care of and to be safe. He would never forgive him if he ever hurt her. He would never forgive him_self_ for allowing her the chance to be with Orochimaru.

But to hear that he had actually _died_ was a completely different story. His first thought was that Orochimaru had traded Sakura back to Konoha for something but this new bit of information changed everything. Although Orochimaru's arms were injured, the rumor between the highest ranks of shinobi was that Sakura had finally surpassed Tsunade and had healed Orochimaru's arms in exchange for the cursed seal. That was when Sakura was taken from Mist. So if Orochimaru nearly handed Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune, and himself their asses when they first met with minimal use of his arms, no ability to perform any jutsu, then how was it possible to _kill_ him when he _did_ have complete and total use of his arms?

So he was gone now, and that meant that not only would Sakura have to go through the upcoming trial without the hope that he might send someone to recue her like before, but she would have to deal with losing the baby, the only thing she had left of him. She had seen those eyes before, seen the outcome of people with those eyes. Their lungs filled with water or they lay peacefully in puddles of their own blood. The ultimate disgrace for a ninja.

Suicide.

Something he refused to let Sakura commit.

"Who killed him?" his voice was barely under control, the anger seeping through his words.

He felt he knew the answer before he heard Sakura's laughter, the bone-chilling laughter that could only exist, could only come from one who was forced from their sanity all too quickly, one that was empty from soullessness, one that was full of insanity from suffering. It provided just the opposite of what any person would ever want. One step closer to the stage Naruto would rather appear at before Sakura did. Something that made a promise in the cruelest of ways.

"Tsunade."

Sakura was _gone_.

* * *

The time for the trial to begin was nearly there. Naruto had stuffed all of his feelings inside to a different place to deal with Sakura and Ino. He had gone to Sakura's apartment and gotten a new set of clothes for her to wear while Kakashi took Sakura and led Ino to a secluded bath for her to wash Sakura up. He had waited outside with clones scattered around the outside of the room in the event that Ino tried to help Sakura escape. Naruto returned with the clothes and waited outside the door with an eerie patience until Ino was done bathing Sakura. They had time to spare so Ino made sure Sakura got a thorough cleansing before accepting the clothes from Naruto and dressing Sakura.

While Ino took care of Sakura, Kakashi gave Naruto a bit more information on the fight between Konoha and Sound.

"Sasuke wanted to fight her," he said offhandedly.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

"_Sasuke_ wanted to fight _Sakura_?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "Is that why she was injured?"

Kakashi let out a short laugh that sounded more like a snort.

"Sasuke couldn't lay a hand on her. I've never seen someone get so strong so fast."

Naruto looked surprised.

"What do you mean he couldn't lay a hand on her?"

"He tried taijutsu but she blocked all of his attacks and landed some of her own. He tried to perform some powerful ninjutsu but Sakura's strength disrupted all of the seal formations. He was trying not to use his Sharingan, I could tell, and I didn't understand why until Sakura brought up that something had happened with him using it earlier. She seemed a little too smug so I'm guessing she figured something out about it," he clarified. "She was egging him on and caught him in a well-developed genjutsu. He tried to use Chidori and he hit her-"

"What! Sakura got-"

"Let me _finish_, Naruto!" Kakashi scolded. "She did something that caused her medical chakra and her normal chakra to combine which saved her from heavy damage while causing Sasuke to receive a large chest injury. I'm still not sure what she did, but whatever it was, she walked away with some blistering on her side, not a single scratch or cut otherwise."

"Bastard got his ass kicked by Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed happily, though it was still obvious he was incredibly worried.

Kakashi raised a brow, crossing his arms and shifting against the side of the door.

"And you're not the least bit interested in how she got this strong?" Kakashi asked somewhat suspiciously.

Naruto shook his head.

"Of course not. She's always been this strong. She's just never had the need or the will to prove it to anyone. Seeing Sasuke and being challenged by him, something that in his world means acknowledgement of someone's power, caused her to prove to him he was always wrong about her. He'd always turned her into a nervous wreck but this fight, this time, she really wanted to show everyone that she was sick of being underestimated. Like I said, she's always been strong. And like Ino's always said, she's like a bud waiting to blossom, and she finally has turned into a beautiful flower," Naruto explained.

Kakashi looked at Naruto awkwardly. He knew Sakura better than he thought he had, explaining parts that Sakura vocalized in her fight with Sasuke without any knowledge of those specifics.

"Ah."

They were silent for a little while longer before Kakashi decided to bring one final bit of information up.

"Sakura knows the Chidori."

Naruto snapped his head to Kakashi.

"How do you know? I mean, it could've been a similar technique-"

"No. The signs were the same. She just never finished it. Sasuke was surprised as well when she interupted him while he was trying to perform it and then out of the blue she's doing the hand seals," Kakashi explained.

Naruto's brows furrowed.

"You mean you didn't know?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"Didn't know what?"

"Sakura's ability..." Naruto hinted, hoping to get a reaction.

Kakashi didn't bite.

"She can memorize a technique by watching it get done...?"

Kakashi's lone eye widened slightly.

"She can?"

Naruto scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Where have you been all this time?"

Kakashi didn't have time to answer. There was a shuffle behind the door and a muffled "let's go" before the door opened and a sadly smiling Ino walked out holding a feshly washed a lifeless-eyed Sakura's hand, much like a parent would a small child. Naruto had picked out a pair of black drawstring pajama bottoms with swirling pink cherry blossoms and a simple white sleeping tank top. All that was left now was to wait for the trial.

* * *

Kakashi led Sakura up the aisle of the courtroom, seeing Naruto and Ino seated near the front on his left. Two ANBU guards were waiting ahead of him to take Sakura. Pushing past the gates he passed her off to the guards who then guided her up the steps of a stand she would remain at for the duration of the trial. Kakashi walked to the left side of the court and seated himself in the back. Tsunade cleared her throat and everyone was silent.

"Haruno Sakura, you are here in court today on two counts of treason against Konoha," Tsunade announced. "We will present all of the evidence we have supporting this accusation as well as disproving it. We will then take the statement from the medic who performed a psyche analysis on you and a concluding statement from you before a decision is made," she explained. "Is everything clear to you?"

Sakura nodded her head slowly.

"Very well, then. Let's begin."

There were eight council members plus Tsunade. Each of them was old with graying hair. From the right, there was a woman, two men, another woman, another man, Tsunade, another man, and two more women. One went after the other presenting the facts they had gathered on Sakura's behavior in connection with her activities and ultimately her deceiving the Hokage to meet with Orochimaru. When it became a point that she was, as the old man sitting on Tsunade's left so _bluntly_ put it, "whoring herself off like some cheap two-bit tramp" Kakashi had to move up to Naruto and Ino and remind them that they were in court and that Sakura was pretty much free game.

Naruto protested that they had no right to go as far as _that_, especially when she was in mourning. Ino looked like she was about to jump the man and tear him to shreds, but once Naruto got calmed down, he managed to get Ino to calm down.

Each person presented more and more evidence against Sakura and Naruto began to wonder if there was any evidence to protect her. It was also another point that made him realize he wasn't testifying. Ino wasn't either. Nor was Kakashi. His eyes widened as he further understood the implications of their absences in this trial. Sakura didn't have a chance at being found 'not guilty' if all of these people who didn't actually know her on a personal level continued with their nasty remarks and hateful glares. No, something was definitely up with the situation. Tsunade had to have something planned or she was deliberately trying to get Sakura put away for the rest of her life.

His thoughts were flying a mile a minute and taking a look at Ino, he realized she had figured it out as well.

The council pointed out Sakura's behavior the past few months and the information Ino presented to them before the first rescue. They brought up Sakura's deception and her disappearance. They brought up her increase in power when she fought Sasuke and she was forced to take more hits when they rubbed her sex life in her face. Naruto was expecting -no, he was _wishing_- Sakura would clench her fists and start to shake with anger. She would snap at each council member, put them in their place.

But she didn't. She remained perfectly still, body neither tensing nor relaxing. It was perfectly still and her head was tilted down, hair shielding her face. Her eyes were against the floor, unseeing. She wasn't even listening to the words that were spoken hatefully, oblivious to the glares that were roaming across her form. All she could see was darkness. All she could hear was a distant version of his voice. Memories, memories of their precious moments. Together.

**_Together_...**

_**From the beginning...**_

_"Sakura…"_

_She hated how her name rolled off his tongue. _

_**How it started...**_

_Convinced with his decision, he leaned forward and claimed Sakura's lips with his. She gasped as he expertly probed and parted her soft lips, letting her get her first experience with someone's tongue in her mouth. Sakura's eyes slid closed as he explored her mouth further and before she knew what she was doing, her arms were sliding around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her abruptly._

_**My first time...**_

_When she closed her eyes, he joined their lips together, teeth pulling her bottom lip into his mouth, momentarily nibbling on it before pushing his tongue into her mouth, earning a groan from her mouth directly into his mouth. His tongue pressed against hers, teasing her into pushing back._

_His fingers wove through her soft hair as her arms moved to wrap around him, pulling him closer to her as she started kissing back. His words rang through her head and she acted upon them with minor difficulty._

-

"_You definitely do not look like any fifty year old guy I know…" Sakura said in awe._

-

"_My, my, someone certainly is full of herself," he chuckled, watching her brows furrow._

_- _

'_No regrets, Sakura…' Inner Sakura chimed as Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down so their lips were close._

"_I'm ready," she whispered, and Orochimaru roughly smashed his lips against hers, hand around her thigh tightening as he slammed his hips forward into Sakura's virgin entrance, feeling her cry into his mouth as he broke through her barrier._

_**When you came back...**_

_"What did I come back for?" he asked, grinning darkly. "Why, I came back for you."_

_Her eyes widened and she immediately found his lips pressing roughly against her own._

-

"_What do you want, blossom? I can't keep going unless you tell me…"_

_She groaned and dug her nails deeper into his shoulders._

"_Just make it happen, Orochimaru! Fuck, please!" she begged._

"_Such language!" he chuckled._

_**When you were so nice...**_

_Sakura frowned, looking up at him. Her expression was enough of an explanation to him that she had no idea why in the world he was doing something like that. He sighed and raised a brow._

"_Well? Are you going to try it or not?" he pressed, moving the food in his hand from side to side slightly._

_Sakura exhaled through her nose, looked down at the food, then up at Orochimaru, before finally opening her mouth and moving it forward, wrapping her lips around the chopsticks and sliding them down, pulling on the food. She bit down and heard the crunch it made, felt the slightly spicy kick._

_A small smile developed and she looked down, embarrassed._

"_See? That wasn't too hard, now was it?" he taunted, picking another item to try._

_**When I did the same...**_

_"Wait, can I let you try it first?" Sakura interrupted, looking hopefully towards the chopsticks._

_She hastily grabbed them from his hand once he nodded, grinning as she found a chance to do something. She brought her hand underneath it, cupping it to catch anything that fell, and moved it towards his mouth._

_His mouth opened and Sakura blushed, pushing the food in and depositing it onto his tongue. She pulled the chopsticks out and watched him close his lips and work his mouth to chew. _

_**You were my comfort...**_

_Sakura moved away a bit to make room for him but after he slid under the covers, he pulled her against him, turning onto his back._

_She rested her head against his chest and snuggled into him. He tightened his arms around her and gave a kiss to the top of her head. She sighed slightly and curled her right leg over his legs, moving up so her head rested in the crook of his neck._

_Orochimaru stroked her back and side, listening to the sound of her breaths slow._

_**Our first fight...**_

_He didn't respond and she reached out for his arm. She roughly grabbed it and turned him to face her._

"_Look at me when I'm talking to you!" she yelled._

_She was FREAKED and he had answers._

_:"Sasuke!":_

"_God, why does everything have to be a goddamn riddle with you! Would it kill you to give me a straight answer for once!"_

_She was hysterical at this point._

_:"No! Please don't go!":_

"_It's a simple question and all I want is a simple answer!"_

_She was begging him._

_:"I love you!":_

_She felt a hand hold her head and tilt it up to match two golden eyes. A thumb brushed over her cheek. Those eyes…they held…such power…_

-

"_Now get out of my house," she shouted into the kitchen._

_**My first gift from you...**_

_"Oh…my…God…" Ino whispered._

_Sakura remained speechless, mouth open._

"_That _has_ to be fake…" _

_**My first lie...**_

_ "But it's a good starter mission for me since I haven't been on any in ages! Please, Tsunade?" _

_**Your biggest lie...**_

_"It's a simple question, Orochimaru," she snapped. "All I'm asking for is a name or a process."_

_Orochimaru looked directly at her, his eyes completely blank. Sakura's brows furrowed as she thought about the only other near powerful medic who would help him._

"_Kabuto?" she asked, pain apparent in her voice._

_He still remained silent and she took that as a yes, her entire body feeling like it was being crushed beneath some invisible giant._

"_But that would mean…he's a better medic…than me…than Tsunade…"_

"_No, Sakura. No one is a better medic than you are. Especially not Kabuto."_

"_Then who? They're working just fine! They aren't bleeding, they aren't bandaged, and you can perform jutsus just the same!"_

"_That's all you need to know," he said calmly. _

_**That ridiculous nickname...**_

_ "Chi-kun?" _

_**When you made me beautiful...**_

_Her pink hair was up in what appeared to be a messy bun, but was actually quite neat with the exception of the tips were fanned out across the upper left side of her head. Her bangs were brushed all over onto the left side of her face, some framing the gentle curve of her cheek while the rest hung in front of her eye._

_Her eyes were weighed with thick mascara that lifted her lashes up dramatically. Black eyeliner rimmed her lower eyes and silver eye shadow was spread across her eyelids. Her lips weren't covered with some obnoxiously bright color, just a simple natural looking pink a few shades darker than her original lip color._

_He noted that there was something on her body he'd never seen before. She had on earrings._

'_Funny, I don't remember her ever having her ears pierced. They look very good on her…'_

_A pair of sparkling red and silver diamond shaped cuts dangled from small chains. Looking down, he noticed that she was wearing the necklace he had left her with the letter. It looked good on her._

_The dress she had chosen was completely black and made out of a material that stuck to her skin. The material cut off just above her knees, showing off her smooth legs. It had two ties that went around her neck, holding the dress up. Her entire back was exposed._

_The last part that he saw was the heels she wore. They were black as well and came up about an inch and a half off the ground. One thin strap slid over the skin right before her toes, two more straps on the first curve of her first and the back of her heel. _

_**When you meant what you said...**_

_"Over there, by the post…he was full of needles…Orochimaru…?"_

_Orochimaru brought his hand to her chin, bringing her to face him. His hand slid down to hold her back, and in the most serious voice Sakura had ever heard him use, he told her the phrase she'd been told countless times._

"_Don't cry for him, Sakura." _

_**Our first real kiss...**_

_He leaned down, tilting her head up to him, and watched as her eyes fluttered shut._

_Sakura felt her heart thundering in her chest and her stomach felt airy. Her chest seemed suddenly tight, as if she couldn't even control her heart that was trying to get out. She didn't understand why she felt this way. It was Orochimaru, not Sasuke._

'_Though we probably couldn't ever feel like this even if we did see Sasuke again.'_

_She sighed softly as he pressed his lips gently against hers, moving his hand to cradle her head. He started their kiss slowly. She almost felt awkward with the sweetness of the kiss, the seemingly tender action. Almost. The sheer comfort she felt from this kiss seemed to send her senses into overload. _

_**When I caught your lie...**_

_She burned on the inside seeing him like this, and although her worst trait, running away, had managed to become shoved into the back of her mind, she couldn't help but cry. She had managed to step inside the shower when she felt the sheer heat from the water. She shook her head and bit her lip to stop the pained sounds she was bound to make as she reached a hand up._

"_What do you think you're doing?" Orochimaru bit out, pain evident in his voice._

_For some reason, seeing her cry pained him. Her tears felt like they could burn his skin more efficiently than the scalding hot water sprinkling down upon the two of them._

"_The water is too hot, first off. Cold water will help with the pain," she said in a voice of seriousness that completely opposed how she really felt inside. _

_**When I acted selfless...**_

_"You can hurt me if it'll help." _

_**When I admitted I loved you...**_

_She knew he was a powerful man that demanded respect. She knew he was not the type to mess around with and was to be feared because of his unpredictable behavior. True, she wouldn't deny she was terrified earlier in the shower, but the fact that remained, the part that sent icy chills up her spine, was the fact that she knew how dangerous he was and how horribly he'd ruined her life, and that Yuni was entirely right._

_She couldn't force herself to deny the more than growing possibility that she was falling for him. _

_**I thought you'd be a great father...**_

_There was a long silence before Naori suddenly smiled and, faster than Sakura thought she could move, Naori had secured both of her arms around Orochimaru's neck, hugging him._

_- _

_She glared at him and he narrowed his eyes even more before standing and wrapping his arms around Naori to hold her up. _

_**When we first acted like a couple...**_

_"Mister, don't you think Sakura is too pretty to have a big forehead? She said she had one when she was a little kid!"_

_Sakura's eyes widened._

_'Oh no...'_

_Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk._

_"She's not lying when she says she had a big forehead. When she was young, she got made fun of because of it all the time," Orochimaru explained, turning down the street. "As for being too pretty, hm, the hair does need a little work," he said seriously, but shot Sakura a flirtatious look, lips still in a smirk. _

_**When you made me realize...**_

_"It's my job to aid people who are injured, Orochimaru," she said defensively, but her voice dropped low at her next statement. "It's the only thing I don't mess up."_

_Orochimaru grabbed her chin and tilted her head up to face him._

"_So, pray tell, who's been coming to your aid since Sasuke left? That's the worst injury you ever received." _

_- _

_"Who, Blossom?" he breathed, the fingers on her waist tracing meaningless patterns over the covered flesh, though enough to make her breathing hitch._

_- _

_"Y-You." _

_**When I really begged...**_

_"Oh, G-God, please!" she gasped. "Don't stop! Don't stop!" _

_**When we agreed there was 'us'...**_

_Sakura exhaled and hesitantly reached her hand closer to his, and within a few seconds she touched the skin. She withdrew instantly but reached over and tried again, this time successfully holding his hand. Her heart beat fast and pounded in her chest as she prayed he wouldn't move his hand. Then his fingers did move, but rather than pull away, he tightened his hand around hers. Her fingers spread out and he slid his fingers through hers. Her heart nearly stopped and a gentle blush spread across her cheeks. Her lips tugged into a smile but she still couldn't bring herself to look at his face. _

_**Our first acknowledgement...**_

_"Oh! You two are so cute together!" a voice from Orochimaru's right said adoringly._

_**Our first momento...**_

_Within five minutes Orochimaru and Sakura were in their first pose in front of the screen._

_Sakura had her hip pressed against Orochimaru's with one arm behind his neck and the other with her hand resting over his chest. His one arm rested around her waist while the other rested over her hand on his chest._

_The next photo had Sakura laughing as Orochimaru picked her up and held her bridal style. She was smiling when the picture was taken, as was Orochimaru._

_Their third picture was also of Sakura being held bridal style, but with their lips pressed together._

_The fourth picture had Sakura standing, pressed against Orochimaru's chest with his arms around her stomach and his head on top of Sakura's head._

_The fifth picture also had Sakura laughing at the expression on Orochimaru's face when the woman suggested he pretend to give her a piggy-back ride. When the picture was taken, Sakura had a light blush across her cheeks and she was looking off to the side. Orochimaru had a grumpy expression on with the exception of the small quirk of his lips as he, too, looked off to the side._

_Their final pose was Orochimaru pressing Sakura to him with her hands on his chest. Their lips were once again joined, but the 'love' in this kiss was shown. _

_**When you completely changed my life...**_

_Sakura hesitantly turned to face the mirror before reaching a suddenly shaky hand down to the pregnancy test. She lifted it up so she could view it and her pupils dilated. Her hands loosened their grip on the plastic and Yuni saw Sakura's expression in the mirror. She barely made it in time to catch Sakura as her knees collapsed and she dropped the test into the sink. Sakura's head shook from side to side as she brought her knees up to her chest. Her body began to shake as tears filled up her eyes. _

_**When I knew you cared...**_

_She felt the bed dip with Orochimaru's added weight when she felt a heat settle against her back and an arm slide over her side to rest over Sakura's stomach. His hand gave it a gentle pat before whispering into her ear._

_"We'll deal with it," he assured her, and Sakura felt so tired all of a sudden. _

_**You made me strong...**_

_Without a second thought, Sakura blasted chakra through her arms and the seals flared up immediately, glowing a bright blue. Sakura took the instant opportunity and blended her chakra with the chakra the seals used and absorbed it, forcing it once again through her arms and passing the bands on her wrists. With one great push, her arms spread and snapped the belt and the hand restraints. She wasted no time with her ankles and merely broke free of those before standing on her feet and stretching._

_Ibiki stood there, watching in amazement at her speed and strength and reached into the pouch attached to the side of his belt, gripping a kunai. Sakura sent him a smirk that eerily reminded him of one Orochimaru would produce._

_"Calm down, Ibiki!" she teased. "I simply wasn't comfortable," she explained as if she were discussing the weather. _

_**I showed them I loved you...**_

_"**You don't know what the **_**fuck_ you're talking about!_**_" she screamed, stomping towards him. "**How would you know if he's using me or not! If he loves me or not! You've never **_**seen_ him! You've never been _with_ him! You've never been on the receiving end of his _supposed_ lies of love!_**_" She was right in front of him now, grasping the fabric of his shirt tightly between her paling fingers. "**I **_**know_ people say he's a monster that will do anything to get what he wants, but he wants _me_! Out of everyone in Konoha, in Sand and Mist, Tsunade, Ino, Yuni, Temari, Ten-Ten! He wants _me_, and he'll do whatever it takes to get me!_**_" she gave a harsh tug to Ibiki's shirt before continuing. "**I **_**know _he's an incredible actor, an amazing liar and manipulator, but I don't care _how_ amazing you are at acting! _No one, not even Orochimaru_, can fake the genuine love and concern for someone they care for! If he doesn't love me, _fine_, but he still cares about me!_**_" She was breathing heavily now. _

_**I was over him...**_

_And without a second to waste, Sakura took her pointer finger and gave a very gentle poke to Sasuke's chest. She grinned darkly as she watched the Uchiha fly through the air and crash into the stone wall behind him, parts of him breaking through the wall while the rest became burried beneath the crumbling rock. Sakura faked a look of worry while her lips curled into a nasty smirk. _

_**You promised you'd keep me...**_

_"Well," he began, "I'm not about to let you go to Konoha while you're pregnant. You're going to have the baby here, or, if necessary, in a nearby village hospital, whichever you think is safer," he paused, fingers moving from her and wrapping his entire arm around her waist, bringing his lips to her ear. "I know I can't raise a child to save my life, and I don't exactly have the body parts to feed the child," he brought his arm under her chest._

_"Orochimaru!" she half gasped, half laughed. _

_**You made me dark...**_

_"I want to watch you _break

_**You showed me your fear...**_

_"I'm the last man in the world to model as a father, Sakura," he said softly. "You're the best woman in the world to model as a mother."_

_- _

_"I can't see myself as a father, to be completely honest. I never expected to have kids when I was younger. I knew that attachments were incredibly stupid things to have as a shinobi so I never bothered with girls or fantasies of being married with a few kids in the academy to uphold the family name," he continued, pausing to let it sink in. "But now that I know I'll be a father, I'll do the best that I can, but you have to promise me you'll understand if I'm not as good with our baby as you are?"_

_**I made you understand...**_

_"You're going to be a great father." _

_**I saved you...**_

_Nothing happened for a moment, and then suddenly, the magenta colored flames lit his fingers one by one. His eyes widened as he stared at his hand, Sakura gasping beside him._

_"It actually worked," Kabuto murmured in awe._

_"It actually worked," Orochimaru repeated, shaking his hand to put out the flames. _

_**I didn't give in...**_

_"Please, Sasuke," she begged, tears filling her eyes, "_please_, just leave me alone." _

_**You said I was your equal...**_

_"There are no doubts in my mind that you've just joined the ranks of sannin," he said, amused. _

_**I proved that I was...**_

_"You see, Sasuke," she said smugly, "I don't need the cursed seal to overpower you. I don't need the Sharingan to see right through you. I only need to be myself, to stop wishing I was like everyone else, because being like everyone else means being weak," she kicked him off of her, sending his body skidding along the dirt. "By acting as an individual, I become stronger. By having people who believe in me and don't pity me only increases my power." She began to walk towards him, blood dripping from her fingers. "You see, people can give you power, but the power you want you'll never get because you shove people aside. You weren't the one who gave me this strength. You merely took it all away."_

_With those words she bent down, wrapped her fingers around his neck and lifted him into the air. She straightened herself, ignoring the rasps from his mouth and threw him towards Kakashi. His body landed harshly on the ground, his blood splattering around him as he rolled and halted to Kakashi's feet. _

_**You left me...**_

_Before she knew it, whatever strength she had left in her body was put into shoving sasuke off of her. _

_Before she knew it, she was moving the fastest she had ever moved in her life, but in a flash she was kneeling in a slowly expanding puddle of Orochimaru's blood._

_Before she knew it, green light filtered through her fingertips and into Orochimaru's still body._

_Before she knew it, his entire body was glowing green with her magical chakra._

_Before she knew it, she realized he had no heartbeat._

_Before she knew it, she knew it._

_He was _**dead**

"Orochimaru," she whispered, eyes closing slightly.

"...reverts the mind and body to a more _primal_ state of functioning for survival. The victim is sexually attracted at first but eventually the mind begins to develop a more needy connection. If the urge is refused, denied, or the performer of the jutsu is not nearby, the victim feels the need to track down the person to sate their need for contact. The mind eventually cannot handle extended amounts of time away from-"

"Shut up."

The medic blinked and turned to look at Sakura. Several gasps were heard around the room as Sakura lifted her head and turned to look at the man giving his diagnosis on Sakura. Naruto and Ino were on the edge of their seats, finally happy that Sakura had actually spoken.

"You're wrong."

Her voice was completely emotionless and her face was equally as cold. However, there was an air of superiority around Sakura for a reason that made no sense. She turned around, facing the two ANBU guards and began to descend the steps. Immediately the two men tried to block her path but she easily thrust her hands out, hitting their chests, and sending them flying backwards, crashing into the doors to the courtroom. The council and Tsunade, as well as everyone else in the room, shot to a standing position from their seats. She finished moving down the stairs and turned, walking towards the medic.

"Who, exactly, did you test this theory on, may I ask? I certainly don't remember having been victim to experimenting."

The medic began to back away as Sakura closed in on him. She saw the two Anbu rush back into the room, heading for her. Sakura stopped her pursuit and gave a bored look over her shoulder. Turning back to the medic her arm shot out and her fingers swiftly wrapped around the man's neck. She gave an experimental squeeze and heard the light cracking. He gasped for air, clawing at her wrist, but her hold didn't give.

"Sakura!" Naruto and Ino cried out simultaneously.

The pink haired woman tilted her head to the side, regarding the man before spinning suddenly and throwing him at an oncoming Anbu, knocking both down to the ground. The other came at her, jumping over the two bodies on the floor, and brandished his katana. With a single sweep down, Sakura dodged it, hopping to the side. Her hand moved to hold his wrist while his free hand formed a fist and aimed at her face.

Sakura easily caught that hand as well before tightening her grip painfully. She heard him grunt and closed her hands tighter.

"None of you would ever know the torment I've been through, at least, none of you but Tsunade would. Which makes me wonder, Tsunade," Sakura blinked, hands finally closing completely allowing the nin to scream as his wrist and hand were shattered, "are you doing this to me because I won the heart of the man you always wanted?"

She released his arms and drew her fist back before launching it at his face, cracking the mask and sending him flying into the wall on the other side of the room. Naruto and Ino stood watching in terror as their best friend mercilessly attacked. Both knew they needed to stop Sakura and before Ino knew what she was doing, she was jumping over the railing and running for Sakura. Naruto called out her name, only drawing the attention of the pink haired medic.

Ino reached Sakura within a second and wrapped her arms around her, holding her in a tight hug.

"Sakura, _stop_!" she cried out.

Sakura remained unmoving but her eyes slid shut anyway.

"Guilty."

_I did this for you._

"Guilty."

_I need you._

"Guilty."

Sakura's eyes remained closed and she leaned into Ino whose eyes widened.

"Guilty."

_I can't live without you._

"Guilty."

"What? NO!" she cried out.

"Guilty."

_You changed me into a better person._

"Guilty."

"She's not guilty! She's innocent!" Ino protested, tears coming to her eyes.

"Guilty."

Every head turned towards Tsunade. Ino looked at her with pleading eyes. She didn't want to lose her best friend. Sakura meant more than the world to her, sad to say it, more than Naruto. She owed her relationship with Naruto to Sakura. She owed everything to the girl, like Sakura owed everything to her. She couldn't lose her. She couldn't!

"Tsunade, _please, please_," her voice cracked as she begged.

Tsunade's lips stayed in a firm line for a few seconds before she announced her verdict.

"Haruno Sakura, on all counts of treason you are found _guilty_. The punishment for these actions is execution."

_I love you._

Silence filled the courtroom for a few moments before Ino's sobbing began. Her grip on Sakura loosened and she began to slide down. Sakura reacted immediately and caught her before she hit the floor.

"Shhh, Ino it's alright," she whispered soothingly, running her fingers through Ino's hair. "I can be with him now. Shh, everything's fine."

She smiled.

She _smiled_.

And Naruto couldn't take it.

"**You can't kill her! She's pregnant!**" he cried out.

Sakura froze in her spot as she felt dozens of eyes move to rest on her. Her expression hardened and she glared at Naruto.

"That is **not** true!" she hissed, but Ino pushed away from Sakura, glaring just as harshly at her.

"I'm not going to sit here and watch you kill your baby!" Ino yelled. "Orochimaru wanted to raise that child with you! He didn't want you to kill it!"

"It's not your decision to make whether I kill this baby or not! What do you think Konoha will do once the baby is born?" she snapped back. "_They'll_ be the ones who kill it when it's **alive** just because Orochimaru is the father!"

The room erupted into harsh whispers at her pregnancy and she sent an incredibly harsh and terrifying glare at a few rows, silencing them instantly. Naruto had enough of it and turned his gaze to the council. His fists clenched in anger and he was ready to give them a piece of his mind.

"Is this what it's like to be Hokage?" he yelled. "Is this what I'm going to have to do when I become Hokage? _Murder_ innocent people? How can you all stand there and **_enjoy_** this! How can you stand there and say you're fine with sending a traumatized girl to her death without bothering to take it from her point of view? And you call yourselves wise? You call yourselves adults? You call yourselves _people_? If this is what I'm going to have to do when I become Hokage, I'll resign from the training now and you can pick someone else to follow you!

"I thought you of all people, Tsunade, would understand the pain Sakura's gone through in her life and would use that to help her, not condemn her! You were her mentor! Like her mother! You shaped her into the strong and capable person she was before you went off and killed the man she loved! Look at her now! She's a shell! She's dead everywhere but outside! And rather than help her you want to kill her? Forget it! I refuse to be Hokage!"

"Idiot. Don't ruin your future because of me. You can do more good and change things once you become Hokage. Don't let me hold you back from your dream," Sakura growled.

"One examination. If she's pregnant, her execution will take place after the baby is born," Tsunade bit out, agrivated.

"And what's to become of my child?" Sakura asked, curious as to what Tsunade's answer would be. "Are you going to kill her because she's Orochimaru's?"

"We're going to adopt her!" Ino shouted suddenly.

Sakura looked at her, unmoving.

"What?" she breathed.

"By the time you're cleared for adoption, the baby will have already been born and sent somewhere to be cared for," Tsunade explained.

"No," Sakura said. "It's _my_ baby, and _I_ decide who takes care of her. Ino and Naruto can take of her. I certainly trust them more than I trust you."

Tsunade looked down at her before closing her eyes. She didn't want anything to do with this anymore but she found herself agreeing. And it was exactly then that Kakashi realized something, something that pulled together Tsunade's behavior and the rest of the uneasiness in his mind from the fight with Sound and Tsunade's disappearance.

Orochimaru was still alive.

* * *

Timeframe: One Hour After Sakura's Trial

* * *

Tsunade fell heavily into her comfortable chair in her office, ready to simply doze off where she slouched. Exhaustion overtook her senses and was expressed clearly in the lines of her face. Her honey colored eyes were dull and glazed over, holding a distant look to them as her thoughts lulled her tired mind into a dream-filled slumber.

_Orochimaru sighed, leaning back into his chair. His face held an expression that showed Tsunade a pain she hadn't witnessed in the man her entire time knowing him. She forced herself not to believe it had anything to do with Sakura or the deal they were close to closing. They had been cooped up in some random inn, discussing this topic that Tsunade knew was the only solution to keeping her student alive, although even now she held her doubts about Sakura's willing to live after this deal went through. She picked up her cup full of sake and pressed it to her lips, easily downing the drink in a single gulp._

_"I'll keep you updated on your child and Sakura, but you are to stay away from her until I say so," she explained, voice heavy and low. "Do you understand me, Orochimaru?" she pressed._

_The snake-like sannin closed his golden eyes, fingers gripping the chair he was in tightly. Pain. It seemed to be running across his face, his body. He hated what he was doing, why he was here with Tsunade, why he wasn't back at his underground castle watching his Sakura jump in triumph and squeal as his arms slid around her waist, his lips planting kisses along her slender neck. He was with Tsunade to protect Sakura and his baby, to make sure she had a future. The problem was, he didn't know if he could handle knowing she was alive and living in constant suicide mode, but she'd never be completely safe, either, if he denied this meeting with his ex-teammate._

_He sighed heavily before opening his eyes and showing Tsunade just how much pain he was going through._

_"Of course."_

_Tsunade nearly wanted to kill herself at the sight of Orochimaru, but she swallowed her emotions away, knowing that now she had to keep her thoughts on Sakura. She didn't want to do this because Sakura would most likely try to kill herself, but this was the right thing to do, and she'd be executed for even creating this deal if anyone found out._

'And look where I've ended up. Sakura's going to die anyway.'

Tsunade wasn't quite sure what happened next. She was disturbed from her sleep by a very panicked Shizune who was yelling something she couldn't comprehend in her foggy brain. There was a loud slam, a crash, and a sudden feeling of hatred and rage that Tsunade could feel burning her skin. She groaned softly, shifting her body lazily into a proper sitting position, and opened her tan eyes to see an incredibly angry Kakashi stomping his way to her desk after slamming the door shut behind him. She didn't even need to ask what was on Kakashi's mind, nor did she feel the need to yell at him for barging in on her rest.

His lone eye told her everything she needed to know, and she willed herself for the onslaught of verbal attacks she knew she was going to receive from the silver-haired jounin.

"How could you?" he began, voice coming from between grit teeth.

Tsunade kept her face completely straight, not wanting to give Kakashi the ability to use her expressions against her.

"He's a **traitor**, Tsunade!" he cried, hands clenching into fists.

"I _know_ that, Kakashi," her voice steady and a lot calmer than she was on the inside.

"Then why did you let him live!" he barked, slamming his hands onto the desk separating himself from Tsunade.

Her eyes dropped down to the many papers that flew to the ground with force the desk was hit with. Slowly, oh so slowly, she lifted her gaze back to meet with Kakashi's. Honey met charcoal and the silence grasped both adults by the throats. The tension that spread throughout the room thickened with each passing second, causing Tsunade's chest to restrict with her growing doubts.

Afterall, what would she know about how Kakashi would react? He had just as much right to hate Orochimaru before he even got using the death of the previous Hokage as an excuse. Whatever had happened to him in the past with Orochimaru had affected him in some way, but it was just one of those things that he would never tell anybody. However, it only fueled the fire that he was currently burning on, and at the intensity of his gaze at that moment, she knew that she would have to drop all guard for this to work. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned back.

"Did you see Sakura?" she asked calmly. "Did you see the love she had for him?" she opened one eye to look at him. "The devotion?" she closed her eye. "She's not stupid, she knew he was outnumbered."

"Why did you let him live, Tsunade!" Kakashi nearly shouted, completely frustrated, no, beyond frustrated. "You _knew_ he was using her! He took advantage of her because she was weak!"

Tsunade was suddenly on her feet, slamming her hands, palm down, onto the desk, leaning forward and glaring at Kakashi.

"For once, Kakashi, pay attention to _Sakura_!" she exclaimed.

"For once! I have been!" Kakashi roared.

"_If_ you had been you would've known that this child may possibly be the only thing keeping her from committing suicide! You would see that the heartbreak Sasuke was responsible for was a pinprick compared to seeing the one she loved, _truly_ loved, die in front of her!" her hands formed fists on the desktop and she glared darkly at Kakashi. "She had the smallest fraction of love when it came to Sasuke! Her entire heart, mind, and soul went into loving Orochimaru!" she finished, voice sharp.

"She could never love that monster!" he growled. "She had enough trouble killing on her own! She could never love someone who kills for pleasure!" he cried. "And those sick experiments, one of which she was guinea pig for?" he said, disgusted. "Besides, he could never love her back, Tsunade!"

She shook her head.

"No, that's where you're wrong, Kakashi. He _does_ love her."

"He is incapable of loving!" he denied.

"Kakashi! Don't you get it!" she screeched. "I spent countless years pining for his love, much like Sakura did with Sasuke! I know that my affection had no impact on him but I _loved_ him and I couldn't care less!" she explained, voice angry. "The look in his eyes when we made the deal, when he saw us before we battled, he knew he was going to lose someone of great importance to him!" her voice lowered a bit, seeming almost desperate. "I spent all of my time trying to get into his heart and I couldn't! Sakura managed to love him enough that he learned to love her back!"

Kakashi shook his head violently. He refused to believe it.

"She would **_never_** love him! She'd have to be insane!"

"Kakashi, don't you see that Orochimaru was the only thing_ keeping _Sakura sane! She had nothing left and Orochimaru not only gave her everything she wanted, he gave her everything she _needed_! He mended her broken heart!" Tsunade defended, glaring at Kakashi.

"So you would allow a traitor to run free just because he made Sakura happy?" he said angrily.

"Yes!" Tsunade shouted.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head, turning and heading for the door. He was finished with this conversation. He wanted nothing else to do with it.

"The rumors were true then," he said in a low tone. "Haruno Sakura was said to have surpassed you." He turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Apparently she has."

He moved to open the door when she interupted him.

"Kakashi..."

"What?"

"He's not going to make it."

He stopped.

"What do you mean he won't make it?"

"Although I performed the fatal blow on a fake body, all of the other injuries were real. Kabuto suffered a few heavy injuries from you and exhausted his chakra fighting you. There's no chance he'd have enough left to save Orochimaru," she admitted.

Kakashi thought for a few moments.

"So either way he's dead."

Tsunade nodded.

"Yes."

"Good."

And he was gone before she could get another word in.

'Orochimaru, Sakura, please forgive me.'

* * *

The next day found Sakura in the hospital with Tsunade's hands roaming over her larger than normal belly, though nothing abnormal or incredibly different about it. It was a little more rounded, but nothing the excuse 'no exercise for nearly two months' couldn't explain. But Tsunade's chakra told her a different story. Sakura was four months pregnant with a girl and hadn't shown any symptoms at all. With the exception of the stomach pains the night she was captured in Mist, nothing else jumped to say she was raising a human being in her body.

* * *

Timeframe: Three Months Later (Sakura is Now Seven Months Pregnant)

* * *

Lifeless grey-green eyes stared back at her in the mirror. A freshly sharpened kunai was poised above her wrist. She pressed the blade down, cutting the first layer of skin. Slowly, oh so slowly, she pressed the weapon in deeper, causing the blood to bubble up and flow over her wrist. Pushing down harder, she was rewarded with more crimson fluid and she hissed, savoring the pain, her only form of proof of her existence.

She loved it.

She clenched and unclenched her hand, knowing the sting wouldn't last much longer and she'd need to heal it up again so Ino and Naruto wouldn't suspect anything. But this time, as the pain stopped and the normal daily numbness returned, she wasn't satisfied. She wanted more. _Needed_ more. Pulling the kunai from her wound she moved it closer to her elbow before repeating the same slow process, making a deeper incision than before. The beautiful blood from inside spilled out, plopping and dripping into the sink, going down the drain.

_More_.

She pulled the kunai out once again and placed the tip at her elbow, digging it in and dragging it along the length of her arm and down to the center of her palm, the blood slicking her fingers. She shakily passed the kunai into her gushing and trembling arm before pressing it against her clean one. Delving the blade more deeply than before, at least two inches in, she jerked it back suddenly, forming a large five inch gash that easily pumped incredible amounts of blood from her.

She began to feel dizzy, but the pain felt so good, so wonderful, she wanted more. She didn't care if she would die from blood loss, she would die a slow death, but it didn't matter. What did she have to live for now? Nothing. She stabbed it into her arm again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Her vision became fuzzy and in her lasts moments of consciousness, she lifted the kunai up and aimed to connect it with her heart. She passed out before it made its mark.

* * *

Sakura woke up in the hospital two days later, arms wrapped heavily in bandages, wrists and ankles bound to the bed. She sighed and laughed darkly, lying her head against the pillow. She missed the pain already.

* * *

Timeframe: One Month and Fourteen Days Later (Sakura is now 8 & 1/2 Months Pregnant)

* * *

Tsunade was shouting orders left and right while Sakura lay yelling on the table, face contorted in pain. The baby was coming too fast. Sakura had been in labor for nearly a half an hour and the baby was coming out way too fast. Tsunade feared for Sakura's life, not allowing the fact that she would be sent to be executed once she was released from the hospital to ruin her thoughts. The baby would die along with Sakura and she refused to let that happen.

Shouting some more orders, nurses scrambled around the room, picking up supplies and handing them to Tsunade who was trying to slow the birth. Every trick she used failed. The baby came out at exactly thrity minutes. It was a miracle Sakura hadn't died, that the baby was still alive. But that wasn't what Tsunade was worried about. No.

The baby wasn't crying.

The baby was _looking_ around, using her entire head.

The baby had golden eyes.

One of the nurses wrapped her in a small blanket, gently washing the blood off. Patting the baby on the back, she walked over to a panting and nearly unconscious Sakura's side. She handed the baby to the pink haired woman who froze at the sight of the golden eyes. Her body began to shake as she felt those eyes take her in. So much like her father's...

"Orochimaru..." she whispered.

The baby seemed to sense her discomfort and she closed her eyes, wiggling in Sakura's grip. Sakura pulled her daughter close to her chest and for the first time in months, she felt something. She felt something _better_ than just something.

She felt happy.

Her lips curled into an unsure smile, small at first, but it grew in a wide grin as she looked down at the now sleeping baby wrapped in her arms.

_Her_ baby.

No, her and _Orochimaru_'s baby.

_Their baby._

And she felt tears on her face, mingled with the sweat. She felt the laughter bubbling in her throat before erupting from her mouth. Whatever strength she had left went into holding her daughter, holding the child she was never to see again, to calling her by her name.

"Mitsu," she said lovingly, voice cracking, "I'm Sakura, your mommy. Although your father can't be here, I just want you to know that he loved you very, very much."

* * *

**Chapter 11 Preview**

* * *

"I'm so proud of you!" Sakura exclaimed, pulling her daughter into a hug. "Graduating from the academy at 7! I think that's put you equal to Sasuke's brother!"

* * *

She looked at the man with the long black hair holding his mother in a loving pose. She felt awkward, like something was wrong. It also could've been the fact that the man had her amber eyes. Who was this man? These pictures explained he was romantically involved with her mother, but was this man really her father?

* * *

"Sakura, glad you could make it," Naruto greeted with false happiness.

Sakura's brows furrowed in concern and she pulled Mitsu closer to her side.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" she asked slowly, regarding the new Hokage warily.

He sighed heavily, cerulean eyes closing tightly. The air grew tense and Sakura briefly considered sending Mitsu to wait in the hallway. Something was bothering Naruto and she had the feeling she wasn't going to like it.

"There's something I think you should know about Orochimaru..."

* * *

Alright...so...what did you guys think? How many of you cried? Almost cried? Screamed? I nearly cried a few times when I was writing this. Actually, the birth scene I was crying...the very end of this chapter, I was really ready to curl up into a ball and cry my eyes out. I'm the worst writer in the world. Rape, death, murder, 'guilty', suicide, you get the picture. God, I need a tissue!

I know a ton of you are totally ready to find my super sorry ass and torch it, but uh, just look forward to next chapter! **I swear to all of you, next chapter will make up for the tragedy of this one.** Only one more chapter after this and an epilogue and Dirty Little Secret will be finished! Apart from various one-shots I'll put up, I've got a lot of story summaries in my profile.

As far as the fight between Sasuke and Sakura goes, when he was fighting Naruto, they only really fought using taijutsu, so that's why there wasn't a lot of ninjutsu in his fight was Sakura, just the usual stuff. Seeing as how she's gotten stronger, she obviously needed to have more skill. She also had the confidence of showing Konoha she wasn't weak any longer, showing Sasuke she wasn't weak any longer, proving that she was better than a supposed prodigy, and protecting the future of her baby mixed together to make her a tough opponent.

(1) Five Pronged Seal

(2) Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique

(3) Painful Sky Leg

(4) One Thousand Birds

(5) Summoning Technique

Sakura's memorization bit was something I read online. I don't know if it's from the manga or if it was something made-up, but I read it so I'm using it.

Dirty Little Secret is coming to an end. Chapter 11 is the last chapter with an epilogue to replace chapter 12.

Please don't forget to review! Or flame, since I know a lot of people have probably been dying to flame me for a while! Till later!

Backlash Symphony


	11. Line Between Love and Hate: Perfection

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: The Line Between Love and Hate: Perfection

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional  
"Dream A Dream" by Captain Jack  
"Precious Things" by Tori Amos  
"Crucify" by Tori Amos  
"Memories" by Within Temptation  
"Zoe Jane" by Staind

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional, "Dream A Dream" by Captain Jack, "Precious Things" by Tori Amos, "Crucify" by Tori Amos, "Memories" by Within Temptation, "Zoe Jane" by Staind, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

Special Thanks: To everyone who reviewed! I got over 40 reviews for last chapter! Thanks so much to:  
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* * *

'Thoughts' 

"Speech"

Flashback

* * *

Timeframe: 7 Years Later (Sakura Is Now 25)

* * *

"Ino!" 

Said blonde whipped around to face her caller. A single eyebrow rose as she halted her flower arranging. Cerulean eyes met with an identical pair as her husband walked towards her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" the current Hogake asked, plucking a carnation from a display by his side.

Ino scowled at his action before a confused expression came over her face. She turned to face him completely.

"What do you mean?" she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, fingers brushing his hair. "Besides, shouldn't _you_ be working?"

Naruto laughed. He'd been the Hokage for a few years now, though everyone continued to call him the 'new' Hokage. This was probably because every day that passed was a shock to the people of Konoha who thought the deadbeat Kyuubi container, who would never amount to anything, was suddenly their leader and protector. Naruto didn't mind, however. He had accomplished his dream. He was the Hokage. He had a beautiful wife. He was happily married to Ino and their fourth anniversary was a few months away. They had a prodigious daughter that put Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi to shame when they were children.

Her name was Mitsu.

Haruno Mitsu.

But that was before she became Naruto's daughter.

Now she was Uzumaki Mitsu.

Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"What day is today?"

Ino thought for a moment.

"The eleve**_nth_**! Oh! We need to get going! School's over in less than twenty minutes!" Ino rushed, shoving Naruto away from her to clean up her things.

Naruto chuckled and watched her scurry around, entirely amused with her reaction. Soon they were ready to go and they left Ino's flower shop, heading for the academy. Ino held a bouquet of flowers in one hand and Naruto's hand in the other. As the two walked, people in the streets nodded in respect to Naruto and Ino. Some said hello and others waved with pleasant smiles. Naruto returned each gesture with one of his warm grins.

Within fifteen minutes the couple arrived at the academy gates. Leaning against the fence was none other than the real mother of their daughter. With her pink hair in a short ponytail, jade eyes closed, Sakura stood unmoving. Naruto and Ino slowed, both feeling the depressed aura around their friend. As if suddenly noticing they were there, Sakura's eyes opened and she smiled at her friends gently. Without a word she dug through her pocket and retrieved a long box in dark purple wrapping paper.

"Give this to her for me, will you?" she asked softly.

These days, whenever anyone saw her, her voice was always soft, always gentle, hardly louder than Hinata's old self. In fact, Hinata's old self was better than the current Sakura's behavior. Ino hesitantly took the box from Sakura, painfully aware of the reason why she was waiting at the gate. It killed her to know that Sakura would never be the mother she'd always wanted to be. She received one day a month to spend with her daughter, Mitsu.

One day.

Not even a full day.

An afternoon or a morning, _never_ after 5 in the evening or before 7 in the morning. Certain activities were forbidden. She couldn't train with her and she was required to have an ANBU guard with her at all times when in the presence of Mitsu.

Today was the eleventh. Sakura's day with Mitsu wouldn't be until the nineteenth.

Naruto put on his best smile as his fingers reached for the gift. Rather than take the gift, he held Sakura's hand and pushed it back towards her.

"Why don't you give it to her yourself?" he suggested.

Sakura's eyes widened slightly but she shook her head as sadness spread across her features.

"You know that's breaking the rules, Naruto. I've only got one chance with her. I'm not about to screw it up over a present," she snapped, voice obviously pained.

"Then I suppose we're just going to have to take some time off of the nineteenth and split it between then and today. That way, you get to be with her," Naruto said. "Afterall, today's the day she should be with her parents. Her _real_ parents."

Sakura's throat closed at his implications. She couldn't possibly do that. She'd be breaking the rules. She remembered how everything fell into place.

Once Mitsu was born, she was taken from Sakura in exchange for Sakura's life. Sakura was to spend the rest of her life without her daughter, reserving only a single day each month to be with her for a few hours under an elite jonin's supervision. With Sakura's safety guaranteed, Naruto took the position of Konoha's Hokage and married Ino. They took Mitsu in and raised her, keeping Sakura informed of everything that happened. Sakura lost her ninja rank and her entire history as a kunoichi was erased from the files. She was no more than a civilian who was ordered to dye her hair black to prevent Mitsu from discovering who her real mother was. Mitsu's last name was changed to Uzumaki and her file listed her as the blood daughter of Ino and Naruto Uzumaki.

It was the perfect lie.

Just like the one that got Sakura into this mess.

However, no one took into account that Mitsu would be as perceptive as her father and mother originally were.

She interpreted Sakura's behavior around her and found the pattern in her spcieal dates with Sakura each month. She took into account the possibilities of needing an elite jonin to supervise them, blowing it off as her being the daughter of the Hokage at first, but then realizing that Naruto wouldn't send an elite jonin to protect her from someone he trusted with his life. Then there were the similarities between their thought processes and their habits during certain situations. She never thought her father was stupid, but there were times when she would suddenly point things out that he never knew existed, things that she could point out to Sakura and be able to receive the answer she needed, the answer she wanted. When she turned six years old, Mitsu had called Sakura "mother" and Sakura, having been put on the spotlight, couldn't deny it.

From that day on, Sakura never dyed her hair again. An ANBU member became the supervising party as opposed to the original elite jonin. Her hours were shortened and her activities limited.

Sakura wished Mitsu had only stayed oblivious.

Now Naruto was offering her the chance to congratulate her daughter and possibly give her more than two or three hours to be with her.

"Thank you, Naruto."

The three walked through the gates and towards the graduated students of the academy. Sitting from a swing that was hanging off of a tree in the center of the yard was none other than the seven year old prodigy of Konoha. Sakura's chest tightened upon seeing her daughter once again and her footsteps slowed until she was behind Naruto and Ino.

"Mitsu!" Ino called out, running to her daughter.

The girl looked up and slid off the swing, walking towards her 'mother' and allowing herself to be smothered with hugs as her 'father' rushed to pull her into his arms. He stood suddnely, lifting her and spinning her around in the air before setting her back down. He looked incredibly proud that she was there, only seven, and having graduated already. Mitsu's golden eyes looked around slowly, regarding the other graduates and her 'parents', but Naruto and Ino knew she was looking for Sakura.

Finally, those eyes landed on the pink haired mother she was dying to see. Her lips moved from their straight line to a happy smile, one that could only be seen when Mitsu was with Sakura, and she rushed off towards the woman. Sakura's grin brightened her face, a grin that she only made effortlessly and genuine when she was with Mitsu. Mitsu collided into Sakura, burrying her face into Sakura's stomach, seeing as how she was still very young and hadn't inherited Orochimaru's height.

"I'm so proud of you!" Sakura exclaimed, pulling her daughter into a hug. "Graduating from the academy at 7! I think that's put you equal to Sasuke's brother!"

She also talked normally to Mitsu only, as well.

"It was so simple," came Mitsu's muffled response. "You _are_ my mother afterall!"

Sakura blinked in surprise. Looking down at the girl in her arms, she gently stroked her multicolored hair. She smiled softly to herself. Yes, Mitsu was odd indeed.

Her eyes had taken the color of her father, Orochimaru. Although they weren't entirely serpentine-esque, they weren't entirely like Sakura's either. Her hair was a completely different story. The majority of her hair had taken on a shade identical to Sakura's while a small portion, the bangs on the left side of her head a dark shade, no, the darkest shade of black achievable. Her skin had also gotten much lighter than the color it was when she was born. She had inherited the paperwhite color Orochimaru had. Apart from her physical similarities to her father and mother, her raw talent and ability combined with her intelligence and IQ would put the Nara, Uchiha, and Hatake clans to shame.

Sakura was proud of her daughter but honestly wished she hadn't developed any traits that would bring her more attention than she already had for having her as a mother. Many parents didn't want their children to be near Mitsu because they were afraid she would influence their kids in the ways of a criminal, a criminal Mitsu had no idea was her father. Hell, she didn't know _anything_ about her father. She hardly knew anything about her mother who she only got to see once a month.

"Here, I wanted to give this to you," Sakura said, gently pushing Mitsu away so she could move to kneel in front of her.

Pulling the box out from her pocket once again, she grabbed one of Mitsu's hands and placed it onto her palm, closing her fingers around it.

"This is very, _very_, important, Mitsu," Sakura explained seriously. "It's formed with two parts. A top and a bottom. The top is the gift I want you to have, something incredibly special to me because it was a gift I received from your father. Very valuable that I want to be considered a family heirloom from now on."

"Father? Wait, does that mean-"

"Yes. I know you'll figure out how to open the bottom. You can easily figure out the puzzle. What you find, you can't show _anyone_ otherwise you'll never be able to see me again. Do you understand me?"

Mitsu's eyes narrowed in confusion. Apart from all of her information, she had never been able to figure out who her father was or why she was only allowed to see her mother for as little amount of time as possible. She never thought her mother to be dangerous, but she did manage to dig up some information on her mother having been stronger than the previous Hokage, which led her to believe that her mother must've done something horrible to be forced to become a civilian and be forced to stay away from her own daughter.

However, she couldn't help but have the sneaking suspicion that her father was the reason for all the 'special' treatment, the looks she received from the parents and other students she learned with. She could understand why he wasn't there by using that theory and she could understand why her mother was only genuinely happy around her.

She nodded.

"I understand."

Sakura smiled.

"Good."

"Am I allowed to open the first part now?" Mitsu asked, a light blush coming to her cheeks.

"Of course!"

Mitsu quickly pulled the corner of the wrapping paper, taking a look at the corner of the package. Sakura remembered that this was what she had always done with her gifts. Slowly the wrapping paper came off and Mitsu folded it, placing it into her kunai pouch pocket. She picked up the top of the box and pulled it off, revealing the ruby necklace that Sakura had gotten all those years before. Mitsu's eyes widened and her mouth nearly fell open.

"I know you probably won't wear it, but that's alright. Just keep it safe," Sakura said, ruffling her daughter's hair.

She was suddenly knocked backwards on her back, only an elbow keeping her up. She looked down, startled, as her daughter lay clinging onto her for dear life.

"Mitsu!" Ino called out, running towards Sakura and gaining the attention of everyone else at the school site.

Mitsu didn't respond, merely tightened her grip on Sakura. She looked confused and concerned, unable to explain the sudden action to the expression Naruto held for her. She saw his eyes close and heard him sigh.

"Mitsu, we should get going," he said firmly.

Sakura nodded, feeling the sadness bubble inside of her.

"Go on, Mitsu. You have your graduation present from me. It's time to go celebrate with your parents n-"

Mitsu suddenly shot back from Sakura, golden eyes burning with anger and unshed tears.

"No!" she cried. "They aren't my parents! They'll _never_ be my parents! You're the one that's my mother and I don't care what you've done in the past! I want to be with _you!_ I never wanted to be Uzumaki Mitsu! I've always wanted to be _Haruno_ Mitsu! My real name! I'm sick of all of this secrecy! I'm sick of not seeing you alone, not talking to you! I want to know you and I want to be proud of you but I can't even see you when I want without _you_ getting in trouble with the ANBU! I can't take it anymore!"

Mitsu was up in a flash and had already disappeared past the gate by the time Sakura, Naruto, and Ino relaized what was going on. Sakura hurried to her feet and raced after her daughter, screaming her name in the hopes that she would find her faster. Naruto and Ino split up and went to look for Mitsu in the places they thought she'd be, but little did they know, Sakura was the one who would find her.

* * *

Mitsu hissed at the small package in her hands. With the ruby necklace hidden away safely in one of her pockets, she had been sitting here in the hollowed out space known as the third Hokage's left nostril for at least twenty minutes. She had looked at the box from every possible angle and had even attempted to send her chakra through to determine the shape of whatever was inside of the hidden compartment. She sighed heavily and leaned back, closing her eyes and allowing herself a few moments to breathe. 

So far, all she knew was that something incredibly important about her father was in her gift and that her mother knew she'd be able to figure out how to open it. She was at a loss right now. She couldn't think of anything that would help to solve this puzzle, perhaps the most crucial puzzle she'd ever have to discover the solution to.

"Father..."

That term had always come out of her mouth awkwardly. Whenever she was with Naruto, she knew something was wrong with her calling him that. It may have been the heavy feeling on her chest complete with the curling feeling in her stomach. It could have been the flicker in Naruto's eyes whenever she addressed him by that title, the kind that ruined whatever happiness that moment held. It could've been the fact that she knew Naruto wasn't her real father from before the time she even confronted Sakura about being her mother. Most of all, it just didn't belong. It never felt right to call Naruto that.

She sighed and took another look at the box in her hands. She had concluded that nothing about this box was different, out of the ordinary. It was just a simple box.

"Completely normal...that's it!"

She remembered reading in her mother's file that she was the best genjutsu creator in the village, having surpassed the original specialist, Kurenai, around the same time as Tsunade. Pressing her fingers together, she shifted her fingers to form seals before whispering a single word that would show her what she wanted to see. There was a slight hissing noise before she felt the box on her lap shrink, its light weight becoming even lighter.

With a look down, she saw something that nearly made her blood run cold.

A picture.

"What...what is this?" she whispered in shock.

The pink haired woman she had discovered to be her mother was standing in this picture, looking years younger and undeniably happier than Mitsu had ever seen her before. Behind her, around her, _on_ her, the same man: his arms holding her to him and his head resting atop hers.

She looked at the man with the long black hair holding her mother in a loving pose. She felt awkward, like something was wrong. It also could've been the fact that the man had her amber eyes. Who was this man? These pictures explained he was romantically involved with her mother, but was this man really her father?

Her fingertips descended onto the picture and traced the two figures on the fading paper. Pink and black. Normal jade and serpentine gold.

"It all makes sense as far as my looks go...but those _eyes_..."

Yes, those eyes. Those beautiful burning and brilliant amber eyes that held such promise, such genius, yet such _pain_. There was longing, and even happiness, but it was all for _her_.

Sakura.

The longer she stared at the picture, the harder it was to deny that this man, the one who had so many similarities to her own body, was her father. So she gave in. This was him. This was the man that had something to do with Sakura's depression, her inability to be alone with Mitsu, the obvious disgust and hatred the other villagers presented to her, and even Mitsu's lack of friends because of terrified parents.

"What have you done?" she questioned the still frame, glaring angrily before flipping it over, hoping to find something useful on the back.

What she _did_ find could be interpreted as helpful or even more frustrating.

_Sakura, 18  
+_

_Orochimaru, 56_

_4 months pregnant, Mist_

Mitsu's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"Fifty-_what_!"

She hastily snapped the photo back to the right side and looked at Orochimaru. Her eyes got even wider.

"There's no possible way he could be 56...he's too young!" she muttered in disbelief. "And mom was only _18_? That's like...32 years apart...3_8_ years apart!..that's a completely new generation! No, that's _two_ completely new generations! Dad was old enough to be her grandfather!"

She eyed the photo some more, unable to believe her father was actually _that_ old. She knew Tsunade used a genjutsu to make her look young, but there was something in those eyes that defied age itself, something that led her to believe that he honestly looked as young as he did. However, she couldn't help but feel that the age difference could be a part of the reason why her mother had to be split from her father and herself, but still something told her that even _that_ was a lie.

Once again, she figured that the longer she stared at the picture, the more theories popped up in her head, until finally, the one thing no one had ever, _ever_, wanted her to figure out, was what the name really stood for.

Orochimaru.

Top of the most wanted list.

In every bingo book from here to Lightning.

The snake-nin who killed the Third.

The man who knew more forbidden jutsus than anyone on earth.

Her father.

A _criminal_.

The photo slipped between her fingers and her entire world stopped. She didn't feel like she was breathing. She didn't feel like she could see or hear, or even force words to come from her mouth. This couldn't be happening. No, this was impossible. This couldn't be happening. No, no, no.

Tears formed in her eyes and she couldn't hold them back.

_This_ was the reason why her mother was so miserable? The reason why her mother was forced down from her rank as sannin to civilian? The reason why she wasn't allowed to be with Mitsu for more than three hours? Because her father was a wanted criminal? Because Sakura had stepped out of the boundries and done the unthinkable? Fall in love with the enemy and have his child?

Her mother had committed the ultimate crime, and rather than kill herself to prevent all this pain and suffering from happening, she had chosen to remain alive and watch from the farthest point possible as her own _daughter_, her _flesh and blood_, grew up and became stronger without her there to guide her, to hold her, to teach her and comfort her. She put herself into the most painful position anyone could ever be in for the few moments she could see her daughter grow. She sacrificed everything only to get _this_ in return?

And her father was the damn Hokage for God's sake! They were supposed to be the best of friends and yet he's sitting there allowing this to happen!

Mitsu was pissed beyond belief, but also the most depressed she had ever been before in her life. So she pulled her knees to her chest and she cried. With her fingers clutching the photo that unraveled everything, she sobbed for what seemed like hours. Sobbed until Sakura finally found her and held her, whispered those soothing words Mitsu longed to hear from her _real_ mother.

Now all she wanted was her father.

Her _real_ father.

* * *

_"-he murders of over fifty shinobi. I hereby conclude the charges laid onto Uchiha Sasuke. The public execution, at the current time of 6 PM, shall commence."_

_Sakura watched from the rooftop of one of the buildings that surrounded the main square. Two ANBU were standing behind her as she stared emotionlessly at the dark haired man she once loved. He was selfish and ruthless, and she'd even go as far as to say he was insane, but he could easily say she was as well -all of Konoha would gladly back up that accusation- because she had fallen in love with Orochimaru and had put everything she ever held dear to her aside for him and their baby._

_His death was still fresh in her memory. Having been given an extended time to live so she could have the baby, she had been guarded constantly by someone of great power. Although she could've easily knocked the two ANBU out and made a run for it, she was too depressed to care. Now, all she wanted to do was watch Sasuke's execution, deeming it 'payback' for ruining her life. For ruining everything._

_Shizune -well, she knew it was Shizune since she was the only medic currently qualified for executions- stepped up behind the kneeling Uchiha, mask covering her face. A few seals were formed and the chakra scalepl Sakura knew so well appeared at her hands. The Uchiha looked as calm as ever, only the anger in his eyes apparent._

_Those deep onyx eyes filled with what now appeared to be rage tilted up with his head, locking with hers. Sakura could've sworn that he was just about ready go beserk and start attacking everyone with what little chakra he had left. But he didn't. He remained still, waiting for his death._

_And he activated his Sharingan with what chakra he had left._

_The three marks that were equal to that of his brother appeared. They swirled, spinning until she found herself pulled into the unattainable for Sasuke._

_Mangekyou Sharingan._

_He'd never killed his brother._

_He'd never revived his clan._

_He'd never achieved the Mangekyou Sharingan._

_It made her wonder, though. She'd heard that in order for an Uchiha to get that form of the Sharingan, they would need to kill their best friend. While Naruto was still kicking, and Sakura -regrettably so- was still breathing and of the same rank as Naruto, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a loophole at that moment._

_He'd killed her in every way possible, leaving her shell to roam the earth._

_So was that all it took to unlock the deadliest form of shinobi bloodlines and techinques?_

_Had Itachi murdered his best friend just so he could get a taste for what _real_ murder was like when he could've prevented the massacre?_

_All he had to do was shatter someone and he received this amazing technique in return?_

_All he had to do was destroy _her_ and he was rewarded? _

* * *

Sakura sighed heavily as she walked home, ignoring the disgusted looks she received from the people on the streets. She had returned Mitsu to Naruto and Ino and Naruto said he'd send someone with a message of when to meet her later that day. She suddenly felt exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and go to sleep, but the urge to hurt herself was slowly climbing up in her imagination, being absorbed by her as she desperately tried to cling on to her rational thoughts. 

Unlocking her door, she stepped inside, sure of what she would do. She closed the door behind her, just remembering to lock it, and kicked her shoes off, two thuds resounding as they hit the corner. She moved silently down the hall, one thing in mind. As the bathroom door came nearer, she reached her fingers down to grip the hem of her shirt, pulling the fabric up and off of her head. Tossing it onto the floor, she entered the bathroom and reached behind the soap dispenser for her kunai.

She took a look at her image in the mirror. Dull green-grey eyes, slight discoloration beneath them due to a lack of sleep. Skin pale due to the rare amount of sunlight she was exposed to. A normal charcoal colored bra, a _normal_ normal, bra, -it was only civilian clothes that she wore anymore, so her special ninja bras that made her chest smaller were also given up- and the boring black shorts she wore. Still thin, perhaps thinner than she should've been -she could see some of the bumps of her ribs pressing against her skin- and the muscles, the toned body she adored had lost its glory.

Now it held scars from her previous suicide attempts and needed 'escapes'.

Her fingers wrapped around the kunai and she guided it to an unmarked spot by her breast, right at the curve a few inches beneath her collarbone. Using the mirror to correctly identify the spot, she pressed the sharp point to the soft skin. Just as she was about to cut, a flicker of movement in the mirror made her pause. Her eyes slid over to the reflection of the doorway and her eyes widened at the image.

He was standing there, looking at her.

* * *

_She was surrounded by darkness. Eerie, chilling darkness that froze her and made her shiver. Slowly, a red light filtered through the black she was enveloped in. Clouds passed overhead and a deadly looking crimson moon presented itself to her. A scarlet sky bled into the background. She found herself with her back against a metal pole, hands chained together._

_A blurred form began to appear a few feet in front of her as Sasuke's voice penetrated the bloody scene._

_"You're in my world, now, and this time, Kabuto won't be here to rescue you."_

_She was naked.  
_

* * *

She was frozen in her spot, unable to move, unable to say anything. She simply stared at that image, willing it would only go away, praying it was only a figment of her imagination since she'd never healed since then. But he moved closer to her and she remained still. His hand reached down to gently pry the kunai from her fingers.

"I never expected this from you," he said softly, eyeing the neat slice Sakura had managed to make.

His arms wrapped around her now shaking form and his hand rested over the cut, pushing green shakra into it. It healed quickly and he took it upon himself to let his hand roam over her scarred flesh, easing his chakra into each mark and restoring her skin to its natural beauty. She remained silent the entire time, but the second he stopped she spun around in his arms, burrying her head in his chest.

"Kabuto!" she cried, the syllables muffled.

His arms tightened around her and she felt his head rest atop hers. It was something that flitted through the back of her mind, but somehow, he'd gotten even taller. That, or she'd gotten shorter.

"You're too smart to have been doing this, Sakura," he mumbled into her hair.

"I couldn't feel anything else, Kabuto. They took her away from me! They took her away and I can't see her like I want to! They took my baby girl away..." she forced from her mouth quickly.

"I know, but we'll get her back," he assured her, stroking her hair comfortingly.

"I can't!" she protested. "I can't seal her fate like that! I'm here now, I'm not going to break everything I've promised because I want my daughter back!"

She felt the rumbling of Kabuto's laughter, the shaking of his shoulders. He pushed her head away and tilted her chin to see him. Tears rimmed her eyes and she bit her lips, two habits she'd never learned to lose. He gave her one of his 'Trust Me, I'm cute!' smiles and he saw her face brighten just a bit. Alright, she blushed, but he thought it was cute.

"You never lost your habit of jumping to conclusions," he teased.

Yup, there's another one to add to the list.

"Naruto mentioned he would be sending someone, yes?"

Sakura's eyes widened. How did he know about that?

'Duh, _spy!_' Inner Sakura piped.

Apart from that, what was he actually doing here? Did something happen? Did he need something or perhaps Orochimaru had...

'No, he knew...'

"Orochimaru knew he was going to die, didn't he?" she asked in awe, not bothering to wait for Kabuto to answer before asking mroe questions. "That's why he didn't want me to heal his arms, because he was going to die, right? And the reason why he made love to me that way? And why he kissed me like that before I went to fight Sasuke? He knew he was going to die!"

"How long have you known about it?" Kabuto queried.

Sakura scoffed, shaking her head.

"Since the day he disappeared. When he came back, he was completely different. I knew he was up to something," she explained.

"Well then, I suggest we get going before your mind decides to wander some more. Come, put your shirt on," he pressed the shirt to her stomach, waiting till she grabbed it.

When she had, he let his fingers trail up between the valley of her breasts and over the curved flesh of the left one, enjoying the look of shock on her face.

"There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours."

That cute smile of his transformed into his sexy smirk and Sakura's blush covered all over her cheeks in a bright red.

'Honestly, he's always done this. You're used to it Sakura, so why must you blush?' she yelled at herself mentally.

So what if it had been nearly a decade since she'd seen him? He was still as good-looking as ever -of course he never had a chance with her anyway since she only cared for Orochimaru, who was dead- and had a smile and a smirk that were as deadly as any kunai.

She slipped her shirt on, but not before noticing her skin. He'd healed the scars away after her hard work in making them that way. She could have easily healed herself, but she didn't. She made them into scars for a reason, and Kabuto had fixed her. She shook her head, swallowing the anger that she'd expected to be much larger than what she was feeling. She finished with her shirt and walked out, following Kabuto.

She noticed he wasn't making any seals and realized he was going to go in public looking like he always had. Did he not understand that everyone that was a ninja knew what he looked like and who he was?

"Kabuto..."

He stopped and turned to face her.

"Yes?" he responded curiously.

"You're planning to go out looking like _that_?" she pointed at him.

He looked down at himself and then looked back at her.

"Who said anything about going out? We're heading directly to Naruto's office."

Within a flash, Kabuto's arms were around Sakura again and they poofed away.

* * *

_Sakura tumbled off of the rooftop, startling the outer lines of the crowd. Sasuke smirked darkly, and Shizune pierced his heart with the chakra scalpel. He was dead before he even fell forward to hit the ground, and Sakura was placed in the hospital for a month.  
_

* * *

Naruto's office filled with smoke as Sakura and Kabuto arrived. When it cleared, Mitsu, who had been sitting next to Naruto, jumped up and ran to Sakura.

"Mom!" she cried, wrapping her arms around Sakura's waist.

Sakura smiled and stroked her hair. Kabuto whispered a "How sweet" in her ear, noting that the tips of her ears turned pink. He chuckled and nodded to Naruto who nodded back, and Kabuto disappeared from the room. All attention was on Naruto.

"Sakura, glad you could make it," Naruto greeted with false happiness.

Sakura's brows furrowed in concern and she pulled Mitsu closer to her side.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" she asked slowly, regarding the new Hokage warily.

He sighed heavily, cerulean eyes closing tightly. The air grew tense and Sakura briefly considered sending Mitsu to wait in the hallway. Something was bothering Naruto and she had the feeling she wasn't going to like it.

"There's something I think you should know about Orochimaru..."

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly and she felt Mitsu's hand grip the cloth of her shirt. She knew well enough to keep quiet on the subject, but she also knew that because Naruto was talking freely about it, he must've figured out that Mitsu knew.

"What about him?" she asked hesitantly.

Naruto sighed and stood up, moving to sit on the corner of the desk. He looked directly into Sakura's eyes, something that caused her to look away immediately. Something was going on since Kabuto had appeared in Naruto's office without so much as an insult from the blonde. No, they seemed to be almost friendly. So what did this have to do with Orochimaru? Obviously, it was something bad since Naruto's expression couldn't have been any more serious,

"You've figured out he knew he was going to die, correct?" Naruto began.

Sakura nodded suspiciously.

"Did he ever tell you where he was during the period where he disappeared?"

Sakura looked surprised but forced herself to calm down. Naruto and Kabuto were supposed to be friends, therefore anything Kabuto knew, Naruto was likely to know as well.

"No," she replied.

"He was with Tsunade."

Sakura's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

'Jealous much?' Inner Sakura taunted.

"Clarify that for me, please, and once you do, tell me why you're bothering to tell me this anyway!"

"He was making the deal that would save your life and protect Mitsu's, Sakura," he explained with a soft laugh.

Sakura exhaled a breath she failed to realize she was holding, preparing herself for the reason behind his questioning.

"Deal?"

He nodded.

"His life for the two of yours."

And she was just being told this information now? Why hadn't Tsunade told her? Was it because she was ashamed of it?

"Alright, so he's dead, Naruto, I _know_ that, so why do you keep bringing it up?" there was pain in her voice and Naruto wondered briefly how much longer she could stand talking about this before she started crying.

"His injuries were mostly fake, Sakura. That's why you couldn't heal him," he explained cautiously.

"Fake?"

"The injuries he _did_ have were took much for Kabuto to heal, or so Tsunade thought."

Sakura looked at him like he was protesting ramen. She didn't understand what he kept talking about. Orochimaru made a deal with Tsunade where his death provided a future for herself and Mitsu. That much she understood. But what did he mean when he said his injuries were mostly fake? That Tsunade figured Kabuto couldn't heal the ones that _were_ real? What was he talking about?

The annoying voice in her head, the one that _didn't_ belong to her inner self, was telling her that Naruto was implying that Orochimaru was still alive, but that thought brought more pain to Sakura because she knew it was a lie. It was wishful thinking.

Naruto sighed again.

"We're getting nowhere with this. Sakura," he paused, making sure she looked at him, directly into his eyes, "Orochimaru is alive."

Everything stopped in Sakura's mind. Time froze and she could only stare at the cerulean orbs that held the truth to break her suffering. Her mind shut down completely at those words and she suddenly found that despite the fact that Naruto was telling the truth, she thought he was lying. She shook her head.

"He can't be. I-I saw him die, right in front of me," she whispered, tears rimming her eyes.

How could Naruto be so cruel and play such a terrible joke on her? He knew she loved Orochimaru and was ready to kill herself multiple times just so she wouldn't need to put up with her life without him. Why would he do something like this?

"I'm a very good actor, Blossom."

Sakura's eyes widened as the familiar voice floated through her ears from behind her. Her hands fell to her sides and Mitsu let go of her, turning her head up to look at the all too real version of her father.

"You're him," she said softly, taking in the features of the man who stood as her father.

The man standing behind Sakura tilted his head down, scanning Mitsu before smiling softly. His hand came out to tuck a strand of her black bangs behind her ear.

"So this is our daughter, is it?" Orochimaru asked, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

The pink haired woman was still straight as a board, unable to move. She was in shock. This couldn't be real. She had to be dreaming. She _watched him **die**_!

Slowly, she turned around to look at Orochimaru. He looked just the way she remembered, with those beautiful golden eyes and that long black hair that felt like silk through her fingers. Pale skin that was smooth as any woman's and a tall frame that reminded her just how small she was.

"Oro...chimaru?" she whispered nearly inaudibly.

His hand left her shoulder and moved to cup the side of her face. He smirked that all too familiar smirk.

"The one and only, Blossom," he said, and what little control she had left shattered.

She lurched forward and slammed her body into his, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could. He was real. He was alive! He was _alive_! Her body trembled as the tears she'd never been able to cry since that day welled up and streamed down her cheeks, soaking through his shirt. His arms draped around her frame and he held her, taking in everything that had changed with her. He heard her attempting to yell at him while they held each other.

He caught bits and pieces as well as a few select curses. It took nearly fifteen minutes to get her to calm down, but when she did, he kissed her.

She swore she had died and gone to heaven. She had missed those lips just as much as the rest of him, but the kiss was short, and not nearly as full of passion as she'd wished for Mitsu's presence.

The little girl looked up at her father and mother with an analyzing gaze. She took in their appearances, noted that she'd never seen her mother as happy, or as tired, as she looked now. So her father had always been alive, and this was who he was? This was supposed to be a deadly criminal? With a -well, Sakura wasn't his wife, but he had a kid, still- family? Well, she _supposed_ he could be intimidating. After all, he was really tall, and those eyes could creep out anybody, just like hers did.

Out of all the things she could've chosen to ask him, she never _really_ intended for the one that did come out to be the first.

"Are you _really_ 63?"

Mitsu looked calm but her voice was skeptical. Sakura burst out laughing, something that Mitsu found she enjoyed very much, and something that Orochimaru missed terribly. Orochimaru did roll his eyes, the corners of his lips curling up into an awkward smile.

"Damn, she really _is_ like me," he muttered causing Sakura to laugh even harder.

She smacked him a few moments later, on the arm -he noticed there was hardly any strength in the hit at all- and mumbled a quick, "Those are some of _my_ genes, too, _Chi-kun_."

Naruto snorted as he heard the nickname, trying to cover up his amusement by looking away, but the two could still hear him snickering.

"Better believe it, kiddo," Orochimaru said with an amused tone.

Mitsu looked him over again, raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you look so young, then?"

"It's a trait of his," Sakura explained, deciding that sounded pretty right to her. "Perhaps you'll inherit it."

Mitsu coughed lightly into her hand.

"Perhaps."

"Mitsu, we need to get you home and packed. Sakura, I suggest you and Orochimaru go and get your things as well," Naruto interupted.

Sakura looked confused.

"You're to be leaving for your new home," Naruto finished, smiling.

Sakura took the information in and moved over to Naruto, hugging him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Orochimaru looked down at Mitsu and held the returning Sakura in his arms.

"See you in a bit, sweetheart," Sakura said kindly.

They were gone in a flash.

The return to Sakura's home was filled with a mixture of packing and kissing, the occasional touch or lingering hand, and a very _relaxing_ bath. With the two of them together, of course. Sakura felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and it felt easier to breathe. She had been deceived, yes, but she had the man she loved back in her arms, a daughter returned to her, and the family she'd always fantasized about.

In theory, anyway. The storybooks never quite mentioned a murderer sweeping a medic off her feet, subjected to fits of passion and the best sex imaginable, while the man she _did_ love slowly lost it and then turned around to try and rape her only to get his ass kicked publicly. Yeah, they also seemed to have forgotten the small insignificant part about the murderer faking his own death and leaving the medic to suffer. The happy ending? He shows up, they get the kid, er, they never got married -but who cares? They loved each other- but they moved to a comfortable home just outside a village in the country, far away from Konoha.

Mitsu went to school in the village -well she was trained on a team there- and her parents helped her practice at home.

Life was good.

Orochimaru looked at the woman sleeping in his arms in their new bed in their new home. She was as beautiful as ever, as perfect as ever.

Yes, life was _definitely_ good.

* * *

And here I give you chapter 11! So now you all know that Orochimaru is alive, and to those of you who were happy with that, I kept my promise so far! Now those of you in search of a tragic ending, and those of you in search of a happy one, you'll simply need to see how I've come up with a surefire way to present both to you by reading the epilogue. Just a note... 

From one's distress comes another's good fortune.

Keep that in mind. Although some of you probably are more interested in something else, I've also been thinking about making two endings, one that's straight happy, one that's straight tragic, and posting both for each crowd to view. It'd be easier to define than a mixed ending since I know people will complain that it's not as happy or sad as they'd wanted. Oh well.

Now, when I did Mitsu's birthday, I made her born November 29. When I researched the characters, Sakura's birthday was March 28, and Orochimaru's was October 27. I took the pattern and made it the higher the day number, the younger they are. It fits, right?

Thanks again for the amazing and super awesome reviews, and the five thousand hits for last chapter! You guys are amazing!

Apart from that, I've complete an OrochimaruAnkoJiraiya one-shot for anyone who's interested. The link is in my profile, so hopefully that might give you something to do while I write the epilogue which will be out soon.

Don't forget to review! Till later!

Backlash Symphony

**P.S. The quote I used from a movie is in here, so if you know what movie it's from, tell me and you'll get your name posted next chapter.**


	12. Epilogue

Title: Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Title: Blissfully Unaware

Author: Backlash Symphony

Music: "Magic Melody" by DHT  
"A Story About A Girl" by Our Lady Peace  
"Miss Murder" by AFI  
"No Regrets" by Divit

Summary: It started out as a deal he made with her, a deal he knew she'd never say no to when Sasuke's life belonged to him. It was the perfect secret. No one knew. Not even Sasuke. Sakura never would've thought it'd end up like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Magic Melody" by DHT, "A Story About A Girl" by Our Lady Peace, "Miss Murder" by AFI, "No Regrets" by Divit, and I most definitely don't own Naruto, either. If I did, Sakura would be the flame to the moths known as Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Hell, add Kabuto in there! He's a cutie!

The ending of 'Dirty Little Secret', this very last installment, is dedicated to the following people:

Lady Jaja  
AsianOne  
Marsgoddess1  
Sora Inu-chan  
kakashisninjadogs  
Hija Del Sucio  
MerodiPansa  
Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi  
Raptured Night  
Artemis  
Luv's-lyric  
Rhonda21  
Senyor Fier Mensheir

You have been with me since the very beginning of this story and I thank you all very much for sticking to it and giving me such wonderful reviews. I'd also like to thank the following (some may have been mentioned already, so double thanks!):

Marsgoddess1  
kakashisninjadogs  
Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi  
Artemis  
DeGlace  
Chryseis Wyvernsen  
Genaric Person

Thanks to each of you for your individual additions to my authoring life. That means sharing your stories with me, allowing me the pleasure of co-writing with you, or simply befriending me and allowing me to annoy the crap out of you with sickly sweet reviews.

For those of you who correctly guessed the movie that I used last chapter's quote from -it was "The Princess Bride"-:

Marsgoddess1  
krystleg777  
Kai Sohma  
Zashera  
Nightworks

And for every single person who reviewed last chapter and gave me words of encouragement, thank you as well, and I hope to see a lot of you next time!

Marsgoddess1  
kagxsess  
Sharingan-User Hatake Kakashi  
Miakoda13  
SweetDreams11  
Tofu-Master  
narutobrat260  
krystleg777  
dorf0  
kakashisninjadogs  
Kai Sohma  
xXSakakiXx  
Zashera  
AsianOne  
Nightworks  
Monomaniacal  
Lady Seiryu  
Darksoul LJ  
loves-winged-dark-angel  
-Shinobi-Of-Sound-  
DxMaddox  
Nikki  
Remana  
Anime and Manga Girls  
Demon King Piccolo  
xlycia  
newblue  
emir  
Rhonda21  
Genaric Person  
Chryseis Wyvernsen  
dungeonguy88

Thanks to Demon King Piccolo for pointing out two things I never explained fully, so here it is.

1. Why did Orochimaru take so long to reappear to take Sakura?

Although he knew Tsunade had already passed the Hokage title to Naruto, he still waited. Orochimaru reappeared because he was going to take Sakura and Mitsu with him. Naruto had given him permission to come back and take them to be a real family since Mitsu had discovered who he was and it ruined the point of keeping her in Konoha when she was sure to leave once she got strong enough to search for him. It took so long because Naruto had to keep his promise to Tsunade which was to keep Sakura away from Mitsu, giving her only limited time. Naruto funally got the chance to break the promise, and it took until Mitsu figured out who her real father was to do it.

2. Why did Orochimaru have to die to protect Mitsu and Sakura? If Sakura's medic skills were so important to Konoha, why would they make her a civilian?

Orochimaru was going to 'die' for the two of them because he knew that if he was still alive, her punishment would've been a death worse than execution. They would've tortured her for information and then they would've killed her when they were done. By sacrificing himself, she wouldn't have to deal with that, and he knew Konoha couldn't kill her if she was with child, so they would give the baby to someone else. Konoha wanted Sakura back before she healed Orochimaru, but when he did, they knew the only thing to do was fight. You know what happened from there, of course, but Tsunade deemed Sakura no longer a threat once Mitsu was taken from her, but just to be careful, she took away her shinobi rank so she wouldn't be exposed to the killing, same for her healing. People hurt, blood, it all would remind her of Orochimaru and she had lapses of sanity throughout chapter 10. Tsunade didn't want her to go through any more suicide attempts. Making her into a civilian was all she could do without killing her.

**Now on to the epilogue!**

* * *

Timeframe: 9 And A Half Years Later

* * *

"Mom!"

Footsteps shuffled on the first floor and a door slammed shut.

"Mo_o_m!"

The female's voice called out again and a slight huffing noise could be made out. The footsteps moved across the wooden floor, nearing the winding staircase.

"_Mom!_"

Feet moved swiftly and noiselessly up the otherwise creaky steps. A hand gripped the smooth wood of the intricately carved banister as the girl wandered up the stairs.

"**_Mo_**-"

A door at the top of the staircase opened and a tired looking woman with messy pink hair yawned and took a step out, leaning against the doorframe. She rubbed her emerald colored eyes before squinting one open at the annoyed teen a few feet before her.

"Yes, Mitsu?" Sakura asked through another yawn.

"Where's dad?" the teen queried, tapping her fingers lightly against the rail.

Sakura arched her back in a stretch and turned her head over her shoulder. Mitsu noticed her mother's attire consisted of a pair of boxers and a tank top. It always amazed her how her mother could always look so young when she was nearly 34, and to keep her body in such beautiful condition...

"Chi-_kun_," Sakura called softly into the room, the corners of her lips curling up in a smirk.

Mitsu heard a grumbled "Don't call me that" and what sounded like rustling sheets, or possibly clothes. Mitsu's face became unreadable, but her eyes clearly showed her annoyance and miniscule amusement.

"You were doing _it_ again, weren't you?" she asked monotonously, eyebrows simultaneously rising at 'it'.

Orochimaru sighed somewhere in the room and muttered something Mitsu couldn't make out. Sakura snickered at his comment and he finally appeared behind Sakura, wrapping his arms around her waist. He looked annoyed because he was forced to get up, but his hair was in worse condition than Sakura's, and his pajama bottoms and t-shirt were wrinkled. He sighed heavily, blinking slowly, and Sakura feared he might just fall asleep in a standing position.

"We didn't wake you up, you didn't hear us, we didn't interupt you, and you weren't home," he explained sourly, earning a flick on the forehead from Sakura who scowled at him.

"He's got a point, Mitsu," Sakura said with a half shrug.

Mitsu's lips curled back and she shuddered, shaking her head in a grossed out manner.

"Ack! Bad images. _Bad. Images!_"

Sakura forced herself to not laugh but Orochimaru chuckled softly.

"Seriously!" Mitsu whined. "You guys are so _old_!"

"Watch it, kid," Orochimaru teased, "or your mother and I will make sure you've got your friends over."

"You _wouldn't,_" Mitsu said slowly with wide eyes.

"Exactly," Sakura muttered, poking Orochimaru's nose. "I'd be too embarrassed to have Mitsu hear us, let alone her friends."

"_You'd_ be embarrassed?" Mitsu cried in disbelief.

"Sakura, darling, don't take this the wrong way," Orochimaru began smugly, "but it doesn't take that much to persuade you."

Sakura and Mitsu's cheeks both turned a bright red, but for different reasons. Mitsu placed her hands over her ears, eyes squeezed shut, and she shook her head violently from side to side.

"No, no, I'm _not hearing this!_" she whined. "I've got to be the only kid with parents that aren't ashamed to talk about their sex lives **_right in front of their own kid_**!"

"And which one of us is nearly 17?" Orochimaru asked.

Her hands snapped to her hips and her eyes narrowed at her father.

"I'll have you know that I've gotten three offers this week to be someone's girlfriend and I turned each of them down," Mitsu huffed.

"Yeah, and that's just _this week_," Sakura added, nudging Orochimaru's leg with her foot. "Our daughter is quite the popular one with the boys," she teased.

Orochimaru looked at Mitsu from head to toe, taking in the differences between her seven year old body and her 16 year old body. Needless to say, he had some very angry thoughts going through his head pertaining to the boys interested in her.

"Oh, really," he muttered.

"At least _I_ know what's attracting them," Sakura boasted.

"Oh?" Mitsu and Orochimaru asked simultaneously.

"Pink. Hair."

Mitsu rolled her eyes and Orochimaru mumbled something under his breath.

"All the guys love it since you can't seem to find anyone with our color anymore."

Their discussion went on for a few more minutes. More blushing ensued along with quite a few innuendoes and some more whining and shrieking. All in all, Mitsu's forced immaturity had reached its limit for the day and she returned to her normal quiet and thoughtful self. The clock chimed five times and Mitsu excused herself to go change from her Team outfit into her house clothing. Orochimaru and Sakura headed down to the kitchen, pulling the ingredients out for Mitsu to use when she made dinner.

The nearly 17 year old jonin silently entered the kitchen just as Orochimaru and Sakura parted from a kiss. She sighed and rolled her eyes, reaching for an apron to sling around her neck. She tied the strings behind her as she eyed the selection of food for that evening's meal.

"Alright, you know what to do," Sakura said.

Mitsu nodded and began to gather a few pans to cook with. Orochimaru and Sakura moved outside into the grand expanse of land they called their backyard. It was the traditional behavior after Mitsu arrived home that she would change into her house clothes, come downstairs and cook dinner while her parents sparred outside, and then eat dinner before she fought her father and then switched to fight her mother.

She could see them through the kitchen window over the stove where she felt the heat from the simmering water. There was a beautiful rainbow in the far background, but she knew it would disappear once the sunset began.

She felt a longing to be outside fighting but her next mission wouldn't be assigned for another two days according to the jonin in charge of mission distribution. At least, nothing higher than C rank. And besides, each meal would take exactly two hours to prepare, something specifically planned so that it was darker out. Orochimaru and Sakura stressed that if she could fight fluidly without sight, she would be invincible in broad daylight.

She had no complaints when that bit of information became known.

Invincible.

She loved the way that sounded. It meant she had power. Not just any ordinary power, but more power than anyone else.

She loved how her body reacted whenever she got into a fight, especially with someone who was clearly weaker than she was. Everything slowed down, in a sense, and the only sounds she could hear came from her opponent. Her body throbbed and burned with adrenaline. It took everything she had to prolong each fight because the second she laid claim to the title of victor, she felt her body release something that she didn't quite understand, but she understood what she was; the best. She looked forward to the very end of her fights because that release made her feel weightless, more powerful than before, and satisfied for at least a few seconds before she felt the urge to fight again.

Both of her parents were incredibly talented and full of strength. They were the perfect combination of shinobi and kunoichi, and that perfection had traveled through the brilliant theory called science to create her. Now, she had tried to fight both of her parents at the same time, but she hadn't won, something she was warned of before the fight. Half the time she could come out as the winner of a fight in one on one fights with her mother and father, but she'd never won against them together, though she came close three times out of the eight she'd fought them.

Analyzing the current stances her parents were in now, she could tell her mother was going to win this match. Her father was relaxed, something he usually was whenever he fought, but there was something else in his position that teased anyone who bothered to watch that something else was going through his mind. She figured he was planning on letting Sakura win so he could get her ego up before switching their positions and dominating her like he usually did.

She smiled gently, pouring the hot water from the pot and carefully spooning the noodles into the glass dish. Her father was a genius, indeed. He always had a plan for something. That was his thing. Sakura was nearly as intelligent as Orochimaru, but she lacked the planning and execution that her father had. She was all strength, though her memorization technique was head on with the first trait.

Mitsu always noticed how her mother never used any of her medical ninjutsu in a fight with Orochimaru or herself, and that her father never used his summons for a battle with his girls. Mitsu had learned the summoning technique from both parents and was able to call upon both snakes and slugs just as well as Sakura and Orochimaru.

Mitsu exhaled, pushing the tray into the oven and setting the timer to go off in an hour and shrugged her apron off, hanging it on the hook. She headed out of the kitchen and out of the back door, snatching one of the patio chairs and plopping down in it, settling to watch the fight. Not even five minutes later, Orochimaru was flat on his ass with Sakura pinning him down. Mitsu laughed softly before cupping her hands around her mouth.

"Mom 1, Dad zilch!" she shouted.

The two adults looked up to her, green gaze amused and golden gaze annoyed. The two separated and got in position for another round. This continued for the remainder of the hour until the timer went off. Mitsu returned to the kitchen to retrieve the meal and set the table while Orochimaru and Sakura moved to the second floor to wash up and get changed. Sakura was the first one to arrive to the table and helped Mitsu set what she didn't finish on the table.

After Orochimaru came down, he sat down at the head of the small table. Each picked up their set of chopsticks and bowed their heads down before eating. As usual, Mitsu was praised for her culinary skills and she allowed herself to bask in the ego boosting words. Sakura and Orochimaru had seconds while Mitsu stood to walk to the sink, clean her plate, and set it on the drying rack. There were two thumps, almost crashes by the slight jingling and clattering she heard, and she turned around and began to walk back to the table.

Sakura was on the floor and Orochimaru was hanging off the edge of the table, neither moving. Mitsu cleared the table, holding their dishes in one hand and the food in the other. She absentmindedly hummed a song she learned from her sensei at the academy as she scraped their dishes and washed them, setting them next to her dish on the drying rack. She moved to put away the food when she felt a powerful presence behind her.

She froze, not daring to move as the aura nearly suffocated her with its sudden appearance. In a few moments, she could breathe properly again. She felt something twisting one of her pink strands and continued packaging the leftovers of dinner.

"Poison?" a male voice spoke in low tones.

"Of course. I didn't want to get blood on my clothes, nor did I want them to question why I was suddenly strong enough to beat both of them," she replied equally as lowly, almost bored.

"Hn."

She pushed the cleaned chopsticks into their drawers.

"Che..."

"Go shower. Then get your things."

She nodded and turned around, momentarily pausing as she was caught in the man's crimson eyes. A faint blush rose to her cheeks and she hurried away from him, past the two bodies of her parents on the floor, and up the stairs, disappearing down the hall and into her bedroom. Itachi followed her with his eyes and waited till she was gone before lowering his gaze to the two bodies occupying the floor. One ex-Akatsuki member and one ex-Hokage's apprentice.

"Pathetic."

Itachi's ears picked up the sound of running water and the corner of his lips quirked up. He sent a sidelong glance in the direction Mitsu scurried off to and decided he should go wait for her. Gracefully he moved around the bodies and up the stairs, following the path Mitsu took. He arrived at the door to her room, the sound of running water louder than before, and he walked in, making sure to close the door behind him.

For a teenage girl's room, it was far from normal. Her walls were painted a deep violet and her bedspread and sheets were lavender and maroon. The walls were decorated with bookshelves that held various books ranging from techniques and strategies to medicine and anatomy. Her desk was neat with scrolls stacked in a bin, fresh paper off in one corner with a case of writing utensils in the center. Some more books were stacked there only these had little papers marking certain pages.

Overall, she was neat and clean, something he found he liked and even respected. He didn't tolerate messes unless they were directly linked to a mission or killing. Not many people could keep everything tidy, and it was something he looked for in women.

He heard the water stop just as he spotted a picture on one of the bookcases. It was a younger Mitsu, when she had first met him he believed. She was 12 and was posing with both of her parents. He heard the bathroom door open and turned to look at the emerging girl clad in only a towel tucked tightly around her body. She paused when she saw him and quickly looked off to the side before their eyes could meet.

She loved his eyes but feared them also. Unlike her mother, she didn't have an Inner Mitsu to oppose all of her emotions and actions, a being that could easily break the Sharingan's hold. Therefore, she had every excuse to want to run and hide when his crimson gaze was directed towards her. She knew that no matter how strong she became, she would shatter and be rendered helpless if she ever fell victim to the receiving end of his Tsukiyomi.

"You're having second thoughts?" he asked, though he posed it more like a statement.

Mitsu scoffed and opened the top drawer of a dresser near the bathroom entrance. Pulling out a plastic bag with a prepared outfit in it, she turned to face him.

"Of course not. I don't break that easily," she said icily.

He remained silent for a few more seconds, thinking, before he continued.

"You didn't want to kill them."

"If I'm going to kill anyone, it should be Naruto," she snapped. "My parents didn't do anything wrong, and they went to Hell and back to have a happy life as a family."

She opened the plastic bag and walked over to the bed, dumping the contents out.

"You want power, don't you?" he queried, watching her movements like a hawk.

"Che, of course I do," she grumbled, rifling through the pile of clothes and pulling out her underwear and bra.

"The kind of power I can give you will require a lot more sacrifice," he grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him, "than just the lives of your mother and father."

Mitsu's amber eyes narrowed in uncertainty. She suddenly felt like this was a bad idea. She hadn't cared earlier, but once she had done it, killed her family, she felt awkward, not remorseful, just awkward. She wanted power and she'd give anything to get it, but what would she turn in to alongside powerful? Would she even be herself anymore?

"How much more are we talking, here?" she said, daring to look into those scarlet depths.

She suddenly found herself on her back, the bed soft beneath her hard body. She didn't have time to protest before she felt Itachi's body nestle between her legs as he hovered over her. One of his hands gripped her towel-clad hip while the other settled under her breast. His lips pressed against hers and he forced his tongue through her lips and past her teeth. She made a startled noise that he eagerly swallowed, stroking her tongue with his. He watched her eyes flutter closed and he pressed his lips more firmly against hers. He felt her respond to the kiss, arching her body up against him as she curled her tongue around his, one of her hands coming up to weave through his thick hair. The last thing she felt before he pulled his lips away was the hand on her hip dipping down to her thigh before moving up a couple of inches on her bare skin.

"This," he gave her thigh a squeeze, "much more."

Her breath was coming out in little pants and his eyes drifted down to her heaving chest and then back up to her eyes.

"Do we have a _deal_?"

Mitsu sat up as much as she could considering Itachi hadn't backed off of her all that much. She wound one arm around his neck and kissed him, winding her fingers through his hair. After a few moments she broke the kiss and pulled back just so that their lips were barely touching. She spoke with half-lidded eyes, though the burning golden color they were depicted everything she was feeling.

"The only thing I want is power, Itachi," she whispered. "You have what I want, and I have what you want. You _give_ me what I want," she paused, hand reaching down to slide his further up her thigh, "and I'm as good as yours."

She felt his lips twist into a dark smirk before he pulled away, suddenly looking as impassive as ever.

"Get dressed. I'll meet you out back."

He was gone the second she nodded and hurriedly she slid her clothes on, body trembling with the past few minutes. She couldn't believe she had not only been dominated by him, but she'd gone ahead with it and touched him back. She'd given in to him so easily and it disgusted her. Apart from that, her own words disgusted her. They were true, but once she was stronger than Itachi, she would kill him, instantly ensuring she wouldn't have to sleep with him, and then head back to Konoha to kill Naruto and Ino. She made a mental list of the villagers that used to treat her and her mother like trash because Orochimaru happened to be connected to them more closely than they appreciated. She would make sure to give them very long and painful deaths. She'd make them suffer.

What would she do after that? She had no idea, but she'd find something.

Mitsu grabbed her bag from beside the bed and headed out of her room and down the stairs, through the kitchen -she spared a glance at her dead parents and looked back at the door without a care- and out the back door, straight towards Itachi. The Uchiha turned and tossed the young girl an Akatsuki cloak. She wrapped it around herself and with a nod, the two were off, heading for the Akatsuki headquarters to make Mitsu an official member.

'They went through Hell to be together,' she thought, 'so now they won't need to worry about being disturbed. They'll finally be together for good in a place where their love is as good as any other's.'

* * *

Timeframe: The Next Day

* * *

A man with silver hair approached the house of Orochimaru carrying two bodies, one over each shoulder. One was a female, the other a male. Slipping inside he laid the bodies out on the floor and walked to the two bodies laying on the floor beside the dinner table. He sighed and crouched down beside Sakura's body. His fingers gently stroked her cold cheek. Hefting her over his shoulder, he moved to prop her up by the other female's body before heading back to Orochimaru's side. He repeated the lifting process and set him down beside the male's body.

"Where would you be without me?"

Two fingers reached up to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

* * *

**The End!**

I am now proud to say that this story, "Dirty Little Secret", is now officially complete.

Once again I'd like to thank every person who read this story and reviewed this story. The fact that I received so many wonderful reviews and so many hits for a story that has such a rare pairing makes me really happy, but what I'm even happier about is the fact that I've managed to morph some of you Sakura haters into Sakura lovers and transform those of you who were pretty skeptical about this pairing into full fledged OroSaku fans.

As far as the ending goes, **_if_** I decide to write a sequel, I've got something to base it off of. I can't guarantee anything, though. I've got a lot of stories that come before a sequel, so you could be getting a sequel a year or so from now. Not the best since you'll have forgotten most of this, I suppose. However! I'm going to attempt to write two stories at once, though I have no idea how smart that is. The next story I've decided to write is one of the following:

_**Unfortunate Circumstances**  
Sakura is sent to a tiny village in need of medical help after the death of her fiance, Kakashi. The Akatsuki attack, taking control of everything. Due to her reputation, she is torn between sacrificing herself to save everyone and falling victim to the ways of the Crimson Devil. ItaSaku_

_**Playing With Fire**  
Sakura has a history of guns and violence. She's the new student in Konoha and the only other survivors of the massacre at school five years before are Gaara and Kabuto. As she tries to define herself with film, she catches the eye of Orochimaru, the son of the mobster who arranged the massacre. OroSakuGaa_

And if I don't do that one, it'll be a JiraiyaSakura one:

_**I See Right Through You**  
Sakura is the most lusted after woman in Konoha with countless offers from men. Each was turned down. Jiraiya's interest kicks up and he decides to investigate her strange behavior. One thing leads to another and he discovers her true reason for all her declines and finds himself wanting to be the one who shows her everything. JiraiyaSakura_

So there you have it. One completed OroSaku fic, an upcoming ItaSaku fic and possibly another OroSaku fic with Gaara in the mix, or a JiraiyaSakura fic. After all, I'm a sucker for rare pairings, so I'll do my best to show you that they exist, that I have no problems writing them, and that anyone who doesn't like them and tells me so will receive a loud and obnoxious laugh with lots of poking and pointing. I don't care if it's different. If it's wrong? Well, you still read it, right? You were still interested enough to read it, right? So I shall continue on spreading my rare pairings knowledge and imagination.

I now bid you my final farewell for this story, and once again I say I hope to see some of you elsewhere! Till later!

Backlash Symphony


	13. Correction! The Sequel REALLY Begins!

Sorry about the mix-up, folks! The account name is Backlash-Artemis, but the title of the story is still Move Along.

http: (slash)/www (dot)fanfiction (dot)net/s(slash)3285218/1(slash)

is the opening piece to the prologue and if you're interested in reading the rest of the prologue, you can go check it out under the penname listed above:

**Text** means flashback

**"Orochimaru, take it easy! You aren't healthy enough nor are you strong enough to be moving yet," the voice instructed.**

**A grunt was heard as sheets rustled, the dark haired man's body being forced back onto the bed he was supposed to be resting in.**

**"She'll be fine, she just needs rest, like you," the voice said in a calming tone.**

**"Don't act like you know more than I do on this," the older man hissed.**

**"Don't forget who resurrected you," the voice countered icily, "and warned you about Mitsu's betrayal."**

**"Sakura is-"**

**"Nnn..."**

They say that as you die, a bright light fills your vision and draws you toward it. They say that your life flashes before you,-

**She'd cried on the bench that night, over a week ago, almost two tomorrow.**

-mistakes-

**"So I'm taking this as a yes to my proposition?" She nodded her head when he didn't say anything.**

-and regrets-

**He was dead.**

-and precious moments-

**Her fingers spread out and he slid his fingers through hers.**

-a blend of emotion.-

**"You do love her."**

**She couldn't force herself to deny the more than growing possibility that she was falling for him.**

They say that the moment you see your life is the time where you feel your greatest hatred in yourself and wish to change all the bad things that've gone wrong because you'll never get another chance to fix anything.

**Sakura was on the floor and Orochimaru was hanging off the edge of the table, neither moving.**

They also say once you die, you never come back to life.

**A man with silver hair approached the house of Orochimaru carrying two bodies, one over each shoulder. "Where would you be without me?"**

For once you die, you move on to receive your fate as one with minimal sin, worthy enough to enter the gates of heaven, or be burdened with evil and become damned to an eternal existence where torture and suffering are all you'll come to know.

**"How could I let something like this happen!"**

**"This isn't your fault, now please keep it down. You don't want Sakura to know yet, right?"**

**"I want her to wake up! It's been_ two_ _days_, Kabuto! What's wrong with her?!"**

Hope you want to read the rest, so I hope to see a lot of you at the sequel. Till later!

Backlash Symphony


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